Chicago a cappella (ensemble)
Encyclopedia
Based in Chicago
, Illinois
, Chicago a cappella is a classical vocal ensemble. The group is known for its performance of a wide range of musical styles, from medieval and Renaissance music
to contemporary classical compositions, jazz, spirituals
, and pop.
Chicago a cappella was founded in 1993 by bass Jonathan Miller. Miller's background was in choral performance and musicology
, and he envisioned a small professional ensemble whose members could convincingly interpret an unusual variety of musical genres. Although he originally conceived of the group with eight singers, Miller chose two soprano
s, two alto
s, two tenors, and two baritone
s at the initial auditions, and sang bass himself; the group has most usually performed as a nine-voice ensemble ever since. No longer a regular singing member of the ensemble, Miller continues to serve as artistic director. In 2007, Patrick Sinozich was named the group's music director.
The group gained a following in its early years after several self-produced concerts at the Theater Building in Chicago in September 1993. Chicago a cappella performed as guest ensemble with the established Chicago-based chamber choir His Majestie's Clerkes (later renamed Bella Voce) in 1994 and 1996, further extending its reputation. A recording contract with Centaur Records produced two CDs of Renaissance music, a collection of music for the Christmas season by Italian master Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
in 1996, and the first recording of works by the French Renaissance composer Mathurin Forestier (fl. c. 1500) in 1999. The Forestier recording in particular received critical acclaim, with Fanfare Magazine noting: "The nine voices that make up the group display all the professional attributes of world-class ensembles. Jonathan Miller directs convincing interpretations of both works, eliciting lovely vocalism well balanced among the parts...This is an unexpected find, and I urge collectors to search it out."
The group began offering a subscription to its self-produced concert series in Chicago and several suburbs in 1996. The concerts often include music from diverse genres, constructed around a central theme. The ensemble has made tour appearances in 11 states and in Mexico, where they sang at a cultural festival in Tampico
in 2000.
Chicago a cappella has become particularly known for its performances of works by living composers. For the ensemble's tenth anniversary concerts in 2003, the group commissioned composer Chen Yi
to write a new work. Chicago a cappella recorded the resulting piece, "The West Lake", on their 2005 CD, Eclectric. Another commission, "The Wanderer" by Argentine composer Ezequiel Viñao
, was extended in conjunction with the noted men's vocal ensemble Chanticleer
in 2006. Five new works were commissioned in 2007-08 as Chicago a cappella's Fifteenth Anniversary Commissioning Series, including works by Rollo Dilworth, Stacy Garrop, and Tania León
.
The ensemble's repertoire expanded to experimental rock in 2004, when Chicago a cappella appeared on one track of The Power Out
, a CD recording by Electrelane
, a Brighton, England-based all-female rock band. The track, titled "The Valleys", received wide acclaim due to its breakthrough use of vocals from a band that had been primarily instrumental. The men of Chicago a cappella reappeared on Electrelane's next CD, Axes
(2005), performing on two tracks.
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, Chicago a cappella is a classical vocal ensemble. The group is known for its performance of a wide range of musical styles, from medieval and Renaissance music
Renaissance music
Renaissance music is European music written during the Renaissance. Defining the beginning of the musical era is difficult, given that its defining characteristics were adopted only gradually; musicologists have placed its beginnings from as early as 1300 to as late as the 1470s.Literally meaning...
to contemporary classical compositions, jazz, spirituals
Spiritual (music)
Spirituals are religious songs which were created by enslaved African people in America.-Terminology and origin:...
, and pop.
Chicago a cappella was founded in 1993 by bass Jonathan Miller. Miller's background was in choral performance and musicology
Musicology
Musicology is the scholarly study of music. The word is used in narrow, broad and intermediate senses. In the narrow sense, musicology is confined to the music history of Western culture...
, and he envisioned a small professional ensemble whose members could convincingly interpret an unusual variety of musical genres. Although he originally conceived of the group with eight singers, Miller chose two soprano
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
s, two alto
Alto
Alto is a musical term, derived from the Latin word altus, meaning "high" in Italian, that has several possible interpretations.When designating instruments, "alto" frequently refers to a member of an instrumental family that has the second highest range, below that of the treble or soprano. Hence,...
s, two tenors, and two baritone
Baritone
Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or...
s at the initial auditions, and sang bass himself; the group has most usually performed as a nine-voice ensemble ever since. No longer a regular singing member of the ensemble, Miller continues to serve as artistic director. In 2007, Patrick Sinozich was named the group's music director.
The group gained a following in its early years after several self-produced concerts at the Theater Building in Chicago in September 1993. Chicago a cappella performed as guest ensemble with the established Chicago-based chamber choir His Majestie's Clerkes (later renamed Bella Voce) in 1994 and 1996, further extending its reputation. A recording contract with Centaur Records produced two CDs of Renaissance music, a collection of music for the Christmas season by Italian master Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina was an Italian Renaissance composer of sacred music and the best-known 16th-century representative of the Roman School of musical composition...
in 1996, and the first recording of works by the French Renaissance composer Mathurin Forestier (fl. c. 1500) in 1999. The Forestier recording in particular received critical acclaim, with Fanfare Magazine noting: "The nine voices that make up the group display all the professional attributes of world-class ensembles. Jonathan Miller directs convincing interpretations of both works, eliciting lovely vocalism well balanced among the parts...This is an unexpected find, and I urge collectors to search it out."
The group began offering a subscription to its self-produced concert series in Chicago and several suburbs in 1996. The concerts often include music from diverse genres, constructed around a central theme. The ensemble has made tour appearances in 11 states and in Mexico, where they sang at a cultural festival in Tampico
Tampico
Tampico is a city and port in the state of Tamaulipas, in the country of Mexico. It is located in the southeastern part of the state, directly north across the border from Veracruz. Tampico is the third largest city in Tamaulipas, and counts with a population of 309,003. The Metropolitan area of...
in 2000.
Chicago a cappella has become particularly known for its performances of works by living composers. For the ensemble's tenth anniversary concerts in 2003, the group commissioned composer Chen Yi
Chen Yi (composer)
Chen Yi is a Chinese composer of contemporary classical music. She was the first Chinese woman to receive a Master of Arts in music composition from the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing. She is also a violinist....
to write a new work. Chicago a cappella recorded the resulting piece, "The West Lake", on their 2005 CD, Eclectric. Another commission, "The Wanderer" by Argentine composer Ezequiel Viñao
Ezequiel Viñao
Ezequiel Viñao is an Argentine-American composer. He emigrated to the United States in 1980 and studied at the Juilliard School...
, was extended in conjunction with the noted men's vocal ensemble Chanticleer
Chanticleer (ensemble)
Based in San Francisco, California, Chanticleer is a full-time classical vocal ensemble in the United States. Over the last three decades, it has developed a major reputation for its interpretations of Renaissance music, but it also performs a wide repertoire of jazz, gospel, and other venturesome...
in 2006. Five new works were commissioned in 2007-08 as Chicago a cappella's Fifteenth Anniversary Commissioning Series, including works by Rollo Dilworth, Stacy Garrop, and Tania León
Tania Leon
Tania León is a Cuban composer and conductor who has been recognized as an educator and advisor to arts organizations.-León's Music:...
.
The ensemble's repertoire expanded to experimental rock in 2004, when Chicago a cappella appeared on one track of The Power Out
The Power Out
The Power Out is the second album by English rock group Electrelane. It was released on compact disc and vinyl in 2004 by Too Pure. It was recorded in Chicago, Illinois in early 2003 by Steve Albini. The album's lead single, "On Parade" was a hit on college radio...
, a CD recording by Electrelane
Electrelane
Electrelane are a British all-female indie rock band, formed in Brighton in 1998 by Verity Susman and Emma Gaze. The band comprised Susman, Gaze, Mia Clarke, and Ros Murray. Their music draws from wide range of influences including Neu!, Stereolab, Sonic Youth, and The Velvet Underground...
, a Brighton, England-based all-female rock band. The track, titled "The Valleys", received wide acclaim due to its breakthrough use of vocals from a band that had been primarily instrumental. The men of Chicago a cappella reappeared on Electrelane's next CD, Axes
Axes (album)
Axes is the third album by English rock group Electrelane.For the mostly instrumental album, Electrelane once again returned to Steve Albini's studio in Chicago. In the first recording session for Axes, the band played through the entire album in one take. This reflected the band's desire to have...
(2005), performing on two tracks.
Discography
- Palestrina: Music for the Christmas Season (1996)
- Mathurin Forestier:Missa Baises moy; Missa L'homme armé (1999)
- Go Down Moses: Tracing the Roots of the African-American Spiritual (2001)
- Holidays a cappella Live (2003)
- Eclectric (2005)
- Shall I Compare Thee?: Choral Songs on Shakespeare Texts (2005)
- Christmas a cappella: Songs From Around the World (2008)
- Days of Awe and Rejoicing: Radiant Gems of Jewish Music (2011)
External links
- Official web site
- [ Chicago a cappella at Allmusic]