CHANTICLEER / Concert Hall ATM

For reservations, please call 029-231-8000
Mail to: webstaff@arttowermito.or.jp

CHANTICLEER

Jan. 31, 1999 (Sun) 2:00 p.m. (open for seating at 1:30 p.m.)
Concert Hall ATM
A ¥3,500 B ¥2,500 (all seats reserved)
~~Fifty sets of special "pair tickets" are offered at ¥6,000 for two A-class tickets.~~ Sorry, sold out.

Profile of CHANTICLEER

Chanticleer is the only a cappella vocal ensemble on the classical scene in the United States that is active on a full-time basis. Composed of a dozen male singers, the group is named after the male bird that appears in Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales;" the term "chanticleer" is derived from the the words "chanter" (to sing) and "clear," so it literally means "the clear singer." The group was founded in San Francisco in 1978 by Lous Botto, who served as the group's artistic director until passing away in 1997. The musical director of the group from 1983 to 1998 was the countertenor Joseph Jennings, who has been succeeded by Craig Hella Johnson. The group has already visited Japan twice, in 1995 and 1997, but this is the first time they are touring the country under Director Johnson.

The appeal of Chanticleer, above all, is in its performance. The polished nature of the ensemble, combined with the depth of its harmony, is embellished by the extraordinarily wide range of notes they are capable of producing, as well as their musical timbre. Some people have lauded the group as an "orchestra of voices," a term that precisely defines their essence. The famed choral director Robert Shaw, upon first listening to the group's performing in 1980, was so impressed that he said, "This has to be one of the most beautiful "musical" experiences I have ever had. The audience was spellbound, just as if they were hypnotized."

Another fact worth pointing out is the breadth of Chanticleer's repertoire. On one hand, they perform Gregorian chants and Renaissance polyphony, while they are equally at home with modern music, Gospel music, jazz standards, and pop music. One can only be amazed at their skill in seamlessly pulling together such different styles on a stage, vividly giving expression to each without any sense of being out of their element. Along with the sophisticated staging of their performance, Chanticleer is a group that demonstrates the quintessential spirit of American entertainment in the best sense of that phrase.

After two decades of such substantial activity, Chanticleer has gained a well-earned reputation in the United States and elsewhere. They have appeared at the Salzburg Music Festival and the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, and have signed an exclusive contract with Teldec Records. Their 1996 album, "Sing We Christmas," climbed to sixth place on the Billboard chart. Also, their "Lost in the Stars" concert in Central Park in New York, performed together with the New York Philharmonic, attracted an audience of 75,000. The number of people entranced by the voice of the Chanticleer bird grows day in and day out. Now it is the chance for those of us in Japan to join them.

Members

Soprano	Matthew Alber, Christopher Fritzche, Jay White
Alto	Michael Lichtenauer, Cameron Paine, Philip Wilder
Tenor	Kevin Baum, Tim Krol, David Munderloh
Baritone/Bass	Eric Alatorre, Frank Albinder, Thomas Bold
Artistic Director	Craig Hella Johnson

Notice: Sale of Student Tickets

When tickets remain unsold on the day of a performance, students with valid IDs can purchase them at a discount starting one hour before the curtain.

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