Renowned Chanticleer brings 'Orchestra of voices' to Texas State

By Alec Jennings
University News Service
October 21, 2010

The San Francisco-based, 12-man vocal ensemble Chanticleer will bring its world-renowned "orchestra of voices" to Texas State University-San Marcos Oct. 28 at 7:30 p.m. in Evans Auditorium.

Deriving its name from the clear-singing rooster in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, the critically-acclaimed, Grammy-award-winning ensemble performs about 100 concerts a year worldwide. Their blend of male voices ranging from countertenor to bass is widely recognized for their original interpretations of vocal literature from Renaissance to jazz, to gospel and venturesome new music. Their styles include Gregorian chant, Renaissance polyphony and Romantic art song to contemporary music, jazz, spirituals and world music.

Chanticleer will perform a program titled "Out of This World." Inspired by celestial bodies and the universe beyond them, it features music from Berkeley composer DJ Mason Bates and a new arrangement from Erica Lloyd especially for Chanticleer. Other pieces in the program include early works by Monteverdi, Marenzio and Palestrina as well as romantic works by Schumann and Mahler. From the 20th century, their program will join the composers Britten, Mechme, Hopkins, Gershwin and more.

This performance was selected by the Texas State University Arts Committee and is presented by the Encore University Performing Arts Series. Chanticleer is nationally sponsored by Wells Fargo.

Tickets are $15 reserved, $10 general admission, $5 students and can be purchased online at www.encoreseries.txstate.edu/chanticleer.html or the day of the event. For more information about this event, please contact Liz McDonald at (512) 245-3501 or email em16@txstate.edu.