Mission and History

 

History

The Zia Singers, a Santa Fe women’s choral ensemble, originated as a group of voice students of singer and voice teacher Marilyn Barnes. Founded in 1993, that first group of women met in Marilyn’s living room to sing just for the love of making music together. The choir continued under the direction of Kenneth Knight from 2003 through 2011, when conductor Dr. Karen Marrolli took the baton. After her departure in 2015, Interim director Cora Harms led us in singing until we hired our new director, Aaron Howe, in Jan. 2016. Over the years, the group has grown into a performing ensemble of up to and over 35 voices, which offers performances twice a year to the public.

 

The Zia Singers is a diverse group of women with a wide range of prior musical experience who simply love to sing. We provide women in the Santa Fe area with a choral organization that:

 

  • fosters creative expression through singing

  • strives for musical excellence through the process of continued learning

  • inspires interest in the choral arts through performance

  • builds bridges and camaraderie among its members, its audiences, and the public

 

Singing for the Love of Music

Each January, the Zia Singers present a winter program of more serious, traditional & classical choral music, and in the spring, a pop/broadway program called the Dessert Concert. The singers’ favorite desserts are served at the concert of popular American songs of the 20th century. The Zia Singers give the gift of music to the Santa Fe community through performances at retirement homes and through charitable fundraising activities. They have sung with the Men’s Camerata, Canticum Novum, New Mexico Gay Men’s Chorus & the Rio Rancho Youth Chorus.

In 2016, the Zia Singers applied for and were granted 501c3 non-profit status. We are now eligible to receive tax-deductible donations!

 

Become a Zia Singer

Zia Singers is an all-women chorus  that rehearses every Tuesday afternoon from 3:45 pm to 5:45 pm at Cristo Rey Church in Santa Fe. We perform two annual concert series, one in January and one in May or June. Auditions usually take place in August, with rehearsals starting mid-September. For the audition, please prepare are 3 min song of your choosing that showcases your vocal range. Audition dates for the next season will be posted in June.