CHANTICLEER BEGINS 40th ANNIVERSARY SEASON WITH HEART OF A SOLDIER

featuring new works by Mason Bates and John Musto in 5 Bay Area Performances

SAN FRANCISCO, August 31, 2017–Grammy award-winning vocal ensemble Chanticleer kicks off its Anniversary Season with Heart of a Soldier, a program about the art of soldiering, the pageant of war, the absurdity of battle, the loves left behind and the hope of peace. Great Tudor composers such as Byrd and Tomkins reflected on the repeated sacking of Jerusalem. The beautiful prayer set by Thomas Tomkins, “O pray for the peace of Jerusalem” is as important today as it ever was. The destruction of Constantinople in the Fourth Crusade, centuries later, provided musical inspiration for the great French Renaissance master Dufay. Closer to our own time, the words of Walt Whitman found a place under the pen of one of our frequent collaborator Mason Bates and those of Archibald MacLeish are set by John Musto. To explore the hearts of soldiers, Chanticleer traverses centuries of repertoire from the earlier music of Byrd, Janequin to 19th century Russian soldier songs. Two choruses from Pulitzer prizewinner Jennifer Higdon’s opera Cold Mountain are included as are new arrangements by Brian Hinman, Vince Peterson, Evan Price and Adam Ward of songs from the home front.  

Chanticleer’s 40th Anniversary season–under the direction of Music Director William Fred Scott–begins in August with an eight-performance tour of Poland, France, Germany, and Spain, and continues in the U.S. with performances in twenty-five states. A Chanticleer Christmas, Saints Alive (a program of Bolivian and Mexican ‘mission baroque’ music) and Then and There, Here and Now, a panoramic look at Chanticleer’s musical history, complete the season. Premium events celebrating the Anniversary will take place on April 8th in the Mission San Francisco Solano in Sonoma and June 27th, 2018, in the Old Mission Dolores in San Francisco. Chanticleer’s first San Francisco performance was given on June 27, 1978.

Tickets for Heart of a Soldier range from $10-$60 are available through City Box Office (415-392-4400) or by visiting www.chanticleer.org.

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FOR CALENDAR EDITORS:

Heart of a Soldier
September 16-24, 2017

SANTA CLARA, CA
Mission Santa Clara
500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA
Saturday, September 16 at 8pm

SACRAMENTO, CA
Trinity Episcopal Church
2620 Capitol Ave, Sacramento, CA 95816
Sunday, September 17 at 5pm

SAN FRANCISCO, CA
San Francisco Conservatory of Music
50 Oak Street, San Francisco, CA
Friday, September 22 at 8pm
Sunday, September 24 at 5pm

PLEASANTON, CA
St. Augustine Catholic Church
3999 Bernal Ave, Pleasanton, CA
Saturday, September 23 at 8pm