Great Barrington — If Chanticleer has not yet covered any Taylor Swift tunes, it is only a matter of time before they do. The all-male a cappella vocal ensemble, appearing at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center on April 11, is known for its wide-ranging repertoire that spans Renaissance polyphony, contemporary classical works, jazz standards, gospel and spirituals and popular music arrangements.
Founded in 1978 for the purpose of offering authentic performances of music from the Renaissance, Chanticleer comprises 12 men, half of whom are countertenors. There are also two basses, one baritone, and three tenors.
Chanticleer is fearless in its repertoire choices, covering everyone from Giovanni Palestrina to Joni Mitchell and commissioning award-winning new works, including the Grammy-winning recording of Sir John Tavener’s “Lamentations & Praises,” and a collection of new vocal works titled “Colors of Love.” The group won the Dale Warland/Chorus America Commissioning Award, as well as the ASCAP/Chorus America Award for Adventurous Programming.
Chanticleer’s discography, spanning 26 years and 38 albums, runs from its 1988 debut to its 2024 release “The Rivers Are Our Brothers” by Majel Connery—a musical tribute to the beauty of California’s Sierra Nevada mountains.
Chanticleer Music Director Emeritus Joseph H. Jennings won the Brazeal Wayne Dennard Award for contributions to the Black choral tradition that he made during his tenure with the ensemble.
Critics rave about the precision of Chanticleer’s concert performances and the diversity of their repertoire. Reviewers especially appreciate the group’s linguistic dexterity.
A 2010 review from St. Louis Cathedral Concerts described Chanticleer as the “gold standard of choral singing,” citing the group’s balance, tuning, and expressive delivery.
Chanticleer specializes in Christmas music, having released nine Christmas-themed albums over the years, and every December, the group goes on a national tour titled “A Chanticleer Christmas,” performing in cities across the United States. The 2024 tour included performances in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and multiple locations in the San Francisco Bay Area, their home base. Their Christmas shows include arrangements of holiday music from the Renaissance to the modern day.
In 1986, Chanticleer established a formal education program in the San Francisco Bay Area called Singing in the Schools. Today, Chanticleer’s 12 singers and special guest artists serve students in grades five through 12, as well as adults in other parts of the country.
Not everyone realized that Chanticleer is the name of a mythological rooster until the San Francisco-based vocal ensemble adopted it. The proud protagonist of Geoffrey Chaucer’s “The Nun’s Priest’s Tale,” Chanticleer is known for his unwavering belief that his crowing brings forth the dawn.
Hear vocal group Chanticleer at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center on Friday, April 11, at 8 p.m. Tickets and more information are available here.
