'A Chanticleer Christmas' in Westhampton Beach
Chanticleer has been called "the world's reigning male chorus" and praised for its "luxurious perfection." Saturday night at the elegant Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center, the ensemble shares its vocal gifts in "A Chanticleer Christmas."
We chatted by phone with the new music director of Chanticleer, Matt Oltman, from the group's home base in San Francisco. He succeeds Joseph Jennings, who led Chanticleer for 28 years.
You became music director just this year. Was it daunting to take the helm of a chorus held in such high international regard?I try not to think about it. This being a conductor-less ensemble, my role is somewhat behind the scene. It's the 12 members who go up onstage who have the real pressure.
The group has been called "an orchestra of voices." How do you accomplish such a textured sound with 12 male voices?We very carefully voice each piece, deciding who sings what. And there's an overlap in ranges. We try to find voices with that flexibility to paint different colors in the music - to have a very seamless blend. To orchestrate the music.
Your repertoire varies from Renaissance to jazz, gospel to new music. How do you select your material? Is it a team exercise?No, I'm the general on that. Since the programming is taking place far in advance, some of the singers may not be here. We might commission a piece or select something from part of the world we're going to.
With all the Christmas concert tours out there, what distinguishes "A Chanticleer Christmas" - so popular that it's carried by 225 radio stations? Not to mention your annual "Today" show appearance.
We really take a journey. Our audience hears music that isn't always familiar to them - from antiquity to all corners of the world. People are drawn in because there's a bit of the mystical, the wonderment of this time of year. As the concert goes on, things become a bit more familiar. Hopefully, it's a more profound experience, reminding us that the season is about sharing.
Is there a piece you do every Christmas season?"Ave Maria."
What was your favorite carol growing up in Iowa? And did you get to sing it with Chanticleer?"O Come All Ye Faithful." Just two years ago, my predecessor did an arrangement. So, yes, I got to sing it.
WHAT "A Chanticleer Christmas" concert
WHEN | WHERE 8 p.m. Saturday at Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center, 76 Main St.
INFO $50-$100; whbpac.org, 631-288-1500
