About the Chorale . .
The Sangre de Cristo Chorale performs a diverse repertory of choral music in northern New Mexico for the educational and artistic enrichment of the audience, the community, and its performing members. We first formed in 1978 as a self-governing, adult chorale of volunteer singers who enjoy the camaraderie and satisfaction involved in learning and performing a variety of fine chorale music under the direction of an excellent conductor. The Chorale is dedicated to presenting quality performances, enhancing choral skills, mutually supporting its members, and leaving a legacy of young singers who appreciate the choral experience.

Financially, our self-governing organization is a lean, clean singing machine. Our annual balanced operating budget is approximately $55,000, yet it supports a nine-month activity season and six to nine professional-quality performances per year. We are able to accomplish this by combining professional standards with volunteer energy, with most of the board of directors coming from the membership on a rotating basis. In recent years, we have been fortunate to find excellent individuals from outside the Chorale to expand our accomplishments. All of the logistics associated with rehearsals, clinics, concerts, fund-raising, promotion, and planning are carried out by the Board and Chorale. As a result, the Chorale has enjoyed paced growth. Income sources include: ticket sales (44%), dues and fees collected from members (25%), grants (14%), donations (12%), program advertising sales (3%), and merchandise sales (2%). This income primarily supports rehearsal and performance costs (52%), stipends for the conductor and accompanist (22%), marketing (14%), outreach (10%), and administration (2%).

Seasonal concerts are staged in the three communities from which the chorale draws its members: Santa Fe, Los Alamos, and Albuquerque. Ticket prices, which do not cover the full cost of concerts, are kept affordable ($10 to $15) through supplemental funding from members, donors, and other granting organizations. One annual holiday performance is free to the public and gives access to many who would otherwise not hear us; at other performances, free tickets are made available to accompanied students and limited-income populations in all three communities.

Our following, large and loyal (attendance of 1,200), values the eclectic mix of we offer as demonstrated by our library holdings. It can range from eleventh century chant, through harmonic renditions of ethnic and folk music, to a world-premiere by a New Mexican composer. The concert season in the last few years have included a holiday concert with a mixture of serious and light music, a holiday dinner concert primarily with light music, an outreach event with its own repertoire of light and educational fare, and a spring concert that includes a mixture of sacred and secular music of all types. All of these performances have included accompaniment provided by an excellent pianist and occasionally by other instruments.

Ten years ago, recognizing the Chorale’s potential to inspire and encourage New Mexico’s youth in the communal experience of shared music making, we expanded our mission to include youth development. Today we incorporate in our educational outreach efforts a student apprentice program for high school students, provide modest scholarship stipends to outstanding graduating high-school vocal music students, on occasion provide a practical experience venue for apprentice student conductors from UNM, and schedule annual educational outreach activities with rural, isolated, or underserved schools in other parts of the state.