Mystics and Mavericks

Celebrate the Santa Fe Desert Chorale’s 40th Anniversary with their annual summer festival, one of the nation’s largest choral events, featuring three distinct programs.

Mystics and Mavericks 

Celebrating female sages and innovators, both ancient and modern. 

Showcasing works of medieval feminists ahead of their time: Kassia, the only woman composer in the Byzantine liturgical canon, and Hildegard von Bingen, a patron saint of musicians. Celebrated sound artist Meredith Monk, MacArthur fellow, two-time Guggenheim fellow, and National Medal of Arts recipient, brings a selection of works that were recently released for choral performance, and (to our knowledge) have not been heard in New Mexico. Caminante, the Chorale’s 2022 commissioned bilingual work by award-winning composer Jocelyn Hagen enjoys its world premiere. We are also proud to feature another composition from our 2021 commissioned composer, Reena Esmail. Music by Moira Smiley, an in-demand American singer, and composer whose choral works are performed around the world, rounds out this powerful program.