Chanticleer

Named for the clear-singing rooster in Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, Chanticleer is one of the most celebrated vocal ensembles in the world. Founded in San Francisco in 1978 by singer and musicologist Louis Botto, the Grammy Award-winning group has long been known as “an orchestra of voices” for its extraordinary range and dazzling virtuosity. Comprising twelve male voices spanning from countertenor to bass, the ensemble has sold over one million recordings and performed thousands of concerts across the globe, establishing itself as one of the most prolific touring choral ensembles of its era. Grammy recognition came for recordings of Sir John Tavener’s Lamentations and Praises and the commissioned collection Colors of Love, and the group is also the recipient of Chorus America’s Dale Warland Singers Commission Award and its ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming.

Rooted in the Renaissance but far from limited to it, Chanticleer’s repertoire spans five centuries, encompassing classical, gospel, jazz, and popular music alongside a deep commitment to commissioning new works from living composers. The ensemble maintains an ambitious presence in its hometown of San Francisco, with a robust education and outreach program and an annual concert series that includes its beloved holiday tradition, A Chanticleer Christmas. Whether performing polyphony from the 1400s or a freshly commissioned work, Chanticleer brings a warmth, precision, and transcendent blend to everything it touches, making each performance a genuinely rare listening experience.