Joshua Habermann began his tenure as Chorus Director of the Dallas Symphony Chorus in September, 2011.  The 200-voice Dallas Symphony Chorus is the official vocal ensemble of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra.

 Habermann is also music director of the Santa Fe Desert Chorale (Santa Fe, NM), where he made his debut in 2009 and is under contract through 2012.  Habermann came to the Dallas Symphony Chorus from the University of Miami Frost School of Music, where he was associate professor and program director of choral studies and conducted the Frost Chorale and other choral ensembles. Habermann also lead the Miami Master Chorale.

 A native of California, Habermann is a graduate of Georgetown University and the University of Texas at Austin, where he completed doctoral studies in conducting with Craig Hella Johnson. He has also studied under Helmuth Rilling (conducting), Scott Foglesong (piano) and David Jones (voice).

 From 1996-2006 Habermann was assistant conductor of the San Francisco Symphony Chorus, and in 2006-2007 served as interim director. In that capacity he prepared the chorus for performances with conductors Michael Tilson Thomas and Charles Dutoit in concerts of Mozart, and Berlioz: La Damnation de Faust.  Recordings as a singer with the SFSC include Christmas by the Bay (Decca Records), and Mahler Symphony No. 2 (London Records), also a Grammy nominee for Best Choral/Orchestral Recording.

 Habermann has appeared in numerous conferences and festivals, including international engagements in Havana, Cuba (2002 Festival Internacional de Coros), Germany, Czech Republic, China and France.  As a singer (tenor) he performs with the Oregon Bach Festival Chorus (Eugene, Oregon), where he can be heard on the Grammy Award-winning recording of Krzystof Penderecki's Credo. Other projects include two recordings with Austin-based Conspirare: Through the Green Fuse, and Requiem, a Grammy nominee for best choral recording in 2006.  Habermann also maintains an interest in the Hawaiian choral tradition, and sings periodically with Kawaiolaonapukanileo, an ensemble dedicated to performing and preserving this unique repertoire.

Habermann's other interests include Latin American and Nordic music. His dissertation on the a cappella works of Finnish composer Einojuhani Rautavaara was a Julius Herford Prize finalist for music research in 1997.

Habermann lives in Dallas with his wife Joanna Habermann, a children's choir director. In addition to his duties as director of the Dallas Symphony Chorus, Habermann will continue as music director of the Santa Fe Desert Chorale.