Classical Minnesota Public Radio Welcomes Chanticleer to the Ordway on April 23

Apr 13, 2009

WHAT: Classical Minnesota Public Radio® presents Chanticleer, "the world's reigning male chorus" (The New Yorker magazine), performing in concert.

WHEN: Thursday, April 23, 8 p.m.

WHERE: Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, 345 Washington Street, St. Paul

TICKETS: $32, $29 and $15; discounts are available for Minnesota Public Radio members. Contact the Ordway box office, 651-224-4222, or visit www.ordway.org.

Classical Minnesota Public Radio today announced that Chanticleer will perform in concert at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts on Thursday, April 23, at 8 p.m. Chanticleer will delight audiences with their trademark display of virtuosity that extends across centuries and styles--ancient Gregorian chant, elegant religious motets, hilarious choral send-ups from P.D.Q. Bach, and "roof-raisin'" gospel.

Among the highlights, Chanticleer will be performing Shawn Crouch's "The Garden of Paradise," a piece written for the ensemble from funds provided by the Dale Warland Singers Commission Award. The award is funded by the Dale Warland Singers Endowment held by the American Composers Forum in St. Paul, Minn., and is given each year in partnership with Chorus America. A piece composed with funds from the St. Paul-based Jerome Foundation and written by St. Paul composer Janika Vandervelde will make its Minnesota premier at the April 23 concert.

The April 23 concert will be recorded for broadcast on Classical Minnesota Public Radio at a later date.

Chanticleer has developed a remarkable reputation for its vivid interpretations of vocal literature, from Renaissance to jazz, and from gospel to venturesome new music. With its seamless blend of twelve male voices, ranging from countertenor to bass, the ensemble has earned international renown as an orchestra of voices.

Chanticleer is visiting Minnesota April 21-24 to take part in a state-wide residency produced by Classical Minnesota Public Radio. The residency will help audiences across the state experience what has been called "America's favorite choral ensemble" by The New Yorker magazine. The residency begins with the Chanticleer Choral Festival in Hibbing on April 21, followed by a choral clinic at Apollo High School in St. Cloud. The largest stop of the tour is the April 23 concert at the Ordway. The tour concludes April 24 in Moorhead with a concert at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn.

About Chanticleer San Francisco-based Chanticleer was founded in 1978 by tenor Louis Botto, who sang with the group until 1989 and served as Artistic Director until his death in 1997. The group was named the 2008 Ensemble of the Year by Musical America and will perform more than 100 concerts this season--the Grammy® Award-winning ensemble's 31st season. Chanticleer's long-standing commitment to commissioning and performing new works was recognized in 2008 by the inaugural Dale Warland Commissioning Award.