Taking its title from Stephen Paulus’ a cappella choral piece, The Road Home celebrates the diverse and ever-changing influences that make up American culture by featuring repertoire by immigrant and native-born Americans ranging from mid-19th century Shaker music to jazz, folk and classically inspired works by leading 21st-century choral composers. The professional Santa Fe Desert Chorale, one of the most distinguished American vocal ensembles, is led by artistic director Joshua Habermann. “The variety certainly displayed the ensemble’s impressive versatility. Habermann consistently got vivid performances, introspective music elegantly colored and shaped, extrovert fare delivered with great pizzazz.” (Dallas Morning News)

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REVIEW:

Joshua Habermann’s excellent ensemble are style chameleons, gamely tackling everything here from traditional Shaker hymns to smoochy gospel arrangements, astringent contemporary classical motets to anthemic, contempo-spirituals, and performing them all with full-wattage brilliance and brio.

– Gramophone