“To sing like this, in the company of other souls, to make these consonants slip out so easily and in unison, to make those chords so rich that they bring tears to your eyes:  this is transcendence.   This is the power that choral singing has that other music can only dream of.” 

                                                          -Garrison Keillor

Dear Friends:

We're excited about a vision we have for a new musical organization in Santa Fe .  We want to share this vision with you and invite you to become a part of it.

Here are a few words about the two of us who are leading this venture.

John Onstad has been singing since he joined his church choir as a very young boy in North Dakota . He moved to Santa Fe in 1979 and spent 18 joyous seasons with the Sangre de Cristo Chorale, under the direction of Sheldon Kalburg.

After “retiring” from the Chorale, John started the choral group Canticum Novum (“A New Song”) because of his passion for the cantatas of J. S. Bach. An informal band of players and singers, this group produced nearly 20 of Bach's glorious works as well as numerous other pieces. These productions were church-based with small budgets; there was never enough money to go around. But John has no complaints:  to be able to plan, produce and perform this music has given him great personal satisfaction, as well as a chance to grow as a singer. Every rehearsal-performance cycle was artistic and genuine; friendship and goodwill abounded. It seemed as if Bach's very presence permeated the hall, giving everyone an unforgettable experience of music, history, Biblical story and, yes, transcendence.

When John started Canticum Novum he quickly realized that an excellent conductor was essential for success. Efficiently managing 30-40 talented musicians is a rare skill. Canticum Novum was fortunate to initially engage several conductors who had this ability:  Larry Bandfield, Bernard Rubenstein and Hank Henley. They had enormous mastery of the music, quiet but uncontested leadership, and the ability to get the very best from us-while we were having the time of our lives.

As such, Canticum Novum has had the good fortune to engage Kenneth Knight as its new artistic director and conductor. Like those who preceded him, Ken demonstrates these very qualities that will ensure our success. He's had a rich career in vocal performance, teaching and conducting. When contacted about joining us, Ken made an immediate and enthusiastic commitment to our venture. He admitted that he had arrived almost simultaneously at the need for such a group-and was ready to “roll up his sleeves” and get started.

Our new vision is for a fully professional musical organization that will perform choral-orchestral masterpieces several times a year at the Santuario de Guadalupe. First-class, professional musicians will have to be hired, rent and publicity paid, and normal concert expenses budgeted. With our backgrounds, we're convinced Canticum Novum will become second-to-none in the Santa Fe musical community.