Going to a December concert always gets you in the holiday spirit. I spent some time chatting with Cortez Mitchell and Tavian Cox, two of the countertenors in the Chanticleer group which is bringing their unique a cappella pride to 19 cities with 24 concerts from now until the end of the year. Founded in San Francisco in 1978, Chanticleer is known around the world as “an orchestra of voices” for the seamless blend of its twelve male voices ranging from countertenor to bass and its original interpretations of vocal literature, from Renaissance to jazz to gospel.
The Chanticleers will perform at Disney Hall on December 13.
What path was it to come into Chanticleer?
TC: Mine was. A few months ago. I submitted a few videos, and I came out to San Francisco.
I always was a choir nerd and I put in a tape a few years ago and then I received an email from the music director a few years later and asked me to audition.
CM: My path was in the ice age. I sent in a CD; they do audition every year. I joined in 2007. I have been in the group quite a while. I was singing in school choir and church for quite a while in Michigan, I learned about chanticleer when I was in undergrad school and auditioned and I couldn’t make the call backs. Two years later, there. Was an opening and I was invited to audition.
How do you go about creating the unique blend of sound and voices?
CM: It is probably a combination of both. Some voices are fantastic as soloist, we also take into consideration all of the voices we have in the group. The rehearsal process really gives us time to solidify the sound and make it as seamless as possible.
How long do you have the rehearsals for?
CM: When we started touring in August, we have four to five weeks of rehearsals.
How do you choose songs for the holiday tour?
TC: Mainly repertoire choice comes from our music director. There are some staples that we do every year and that doesn’t change. It also depends on the group of singers. I for example hop on a high note so we have songs that feature some high notes.
CM: There is a sprinkling of standard carols, jazz arrangements, spirituals, and gospel, we try to do as many songs as we can and provide some variety.
Are most performance halls similar to Disney Hall in LA?
CM: Some performances have gone from as little as 250 to as big as 2,500.
Do you have a favorite genre/type of music that you like to sing?
TC: I like to differentiate my classical side of my voice and my non-classical side, for my classical side I love the way the early music feels and how it sounds and my non-classical side really, I love gospel and r&b.
CM: Similar in that outside of Chanticleer, I love a lot of gospel and r& B. For classical, I have an opera background, so I also like early music pieces.
Was your training mostly via college or private lessons?
CM: I did a master’s degree in vocal level performance, and I was on an operatic track, but I have always loved the choir.
TC: When you pursue a degree in voice, usually you have operatic training. I have done opera, and it is so cool to know that there isn’t that much of a difference between opera and choir performance. It doesn’t vary that much. Good singing is good singing. I love it all.
What is it like to tour with 12 men?
TC: It is exciting, sometimes it is grueling. Sometimes I do want to take it easy, sometimes we all go out and explore the city we are in.
How do you take care of your voices?
CM: Every singer is so different, the same muscles are present, but everyone does their own unique thing to take care of their voice. You have to be mindful of what your voice is telling you.
Do you get breaks in between locations?
TC: It depends how the schedule rolls out. This year we do LA then we fly the next morning to Palo Alto and do a concert that night. Christmas is our busiest touring schedule; we go right up to December 23.
What is your favorite song from this concert?
CM: Right now, a song that we have done in the past which is Village Wedding. It gives everyone a sort of solo moment; it is on our Colors of Love CD.which won a Grammy.
TC: There are so many good songs, I love Lullaby. Cortez actually has a solo in that. Melodically it is simple, but everything flows together so nicely.
Where are you both originally from? Do you miss your hometowns?
CM;; Detroit Michigan. I’ve been in San Francisco for a while, I do miss the seasonal changes.
TC: Jacksonville Florida. San Francisco is really new to me since I just graduated college, so it is nice to live here.
What is the ratio of veteran group members to new members?
CM: We have a big range, I have been in the group 17 years, there is a really good variety.
CA Chanticleer Christmas is playing at Walt Disney Hall on Wednesday, December 13 at 8pm. Their tour continues nationally throughout the year. Tickets at https://www.laphil.com.
