The 2024 Summer Festival

Joshua Habermann, conductor
Sponsored by Carmen Paradis and Brian McGrath

Embark on a musical expedition as sixteen professional Desert Chorale artists accompanied by chamber orchestra and percussion explore the rich heritage of 17th and 18th century music from North and South America. Experience the toe-tapping melodies and soul-stirring harmonies of works by Latin American Baroque composers. Then, return to the present with selections from the modern Mass of the Americas by Frank La Rocca, in which he melds together “tones of Western church music with those of traditional Mexican folk songs.” Debuted in 2018, this “cornerstone of modern liturgical composition” (Mark Nowakowski) incorporates texts in Spanish, Latin, and Nahuatl (the indigenous language of the Aztecs).