Altogether, the Festival's goal always has been to provide listeners with the finest music of the ages performed by artists in the timeless beauty of Santa Fe. Resident composers have included Aaron Copland, Ned Rorem, Ellen Taafe Zwilich and John Harbison. Festival ensembles have toured regionally since 1973 and nationally since 1980. Cities visited on the national tours include New York, Santa Barbara, Minneapolis, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Portland and Seattle. Regionally, the Festival tours to various New Mexico communities, which, as a rule, have little live music to offer their residents.
Regional tours offer a concert preview, concert and youth concert at each location.
The Festival is the recipient of the 1998 Santa Fe Mayor's Award for Excellence in the Performing Arts.