Desert Voices Logo
Our Artistic Director
Our Accompanist
About Us
Desert Voices, Arizona's Premier GLBTS Chorus, was founded in 1988. We are a not-for-profit corporation committed to promoting an ongoing, positive gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender presence in our community. Our chorus is a uniquely diverse mix of GLBT people and straight allies. We always welcome anyone who is supportive to come sing with us.
Desert Voices is a proud member of GALA Choruses, an international association of 180 gay and lesbian choruses, as diverse as the communities they represent. GALA Chorus membership includes more than 10,000 lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender persons, and their friends and families across North America, Europe, and Australia. GALA's mission is to inspire and strengthen the international lesbian and gay community. Desert Voices is also a member of the American Choral Directors Association and Chorus America.
About Chris Tackett, Artistic Director
Artistic Director Chris Tackett has been involved in a lot of things in many musical worlds. As a music director he has taken part in theatrical productions for many different companies including Borderlands Theatre and the University of Arizona Repertory Theater. As a composer and arranger his pieces have been performed by many groups worldwide. He continues to serve as Music Director for Saguaro Christian Church and as choir director and pianist of Temple Emanu- El, both in Tucson, Arizona.
Mr. Tackett is a graduate of Indiana University. As a pianist, he has worked in the studios of many notable vocalist, Walter Cassell, Carol Smith, and William Warfield among them. He has also been involved with many different GALA choruses for over fifteen years and has had arrangements and compositions performed by many groups. This is his seventh full season as director of Desert Voices.
About Alexander "Sasha" Tentser
After a highly acclaimed performance of the Grieg’s Piano Concerto at the age of twelve, Alexander Tentser was recommended for studies at the Gnessin Music College in Moscow, Russia, and later continued his education at the Russian Music Academy.
Arriving in the United States in 1990, he received a full scholarship for doctoral studies at the University of Arizona. While there he received a Creative Achievement Award and was a winner of the President’s Concerto Competition. Subsequently he was engaged to appear with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, and was invited back as a guest soloist in 1998 and 2003.
As a conductor, Alexander works with the Pima Community College Orchestra and the Arizona Balalaika Orchestra. Alexander is on the faculty at Cochise College in Sierra Vista and Pima Community College in Tucson, Arizona. He and his wife, violinist Anna Gendler, frequently appear with the Daystar Chamber Ensemble.
