Crossings brings Cantus' "Anthem" to Zumbrota's State Theatre on Friday, September 12, at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $18 in advance, $20 at the door, $8 for ages 18 and under, and can be purchased online or by calling 507-732-7616. Doors open at 6:30 pm.
Hailed as “the premier men’s vocal ensemble in the United States” (Fanfare) and winner of the prestigious Margaret Hillis Award for Choral Excellence from Chorus America, Cantus is known worldwide for its trademark warmth and blend and its engaging performances of music ranging from the Renaissance to the 21st century.
“Anthem” explores the traditions and customs of singing around the world and specifically when and why people sing together. Anthems help people express their identity and create a way for communities to show support for a cause, a heritage or even a sports team. From Latvia’s beautiful unofficial national anthem “Mūžam zili” to the African American work song, “Rainbow ’Round my Shoulder” and even the lively Cuban folk tune “Arroz con Leche,” Cantus asks the question: When we gather together, how does singing help us celebrate, help us inspire, or help us heal?
“Anthem” includes the premier of a new work by composer Rosephanye Powell.
The Washington Post has praised the ensemble’s sound as having both “exalting finesse” and “expressive power” and refers to its music making as “spontaneous grace.” Cantus performs more than 70 concerts each year both in national and international touring, as well as in its home of Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota. Past performances have brought Cantus to the stages of the Kennedy Center, UCLA, San Francisco Performances, Atlanta’s Spivey Hall, Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival and New York’s Merkin Concert Hall, to name just a few.
As one of the nation’s few full-time men’s ensembles, Cantus has grown in prominence with its distinctive approach to creating music. Working without a conductor, the members of Cantus rehearse and perform as chamber musicians, each contributing to the entirety of the artistic process.
Committed to the expansion of the vocal music repertoire, Cantus actively commissions new music for men’s voices including work from Nico Muhly, Lee Hoiby, Steven Sametz, Kenneth Jennings, Peter Hamlin, Edie Hill and Robert Kyr. Cantus has received commissioning grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, American Composers Forum and Chamber Music America.
Cantus has released 15 albums on its own self-titled label, each to considerable acclaim. Of That Eternal Day (2010) The New York Times said, “the Cantus recording offers many satisfactions, none greater than a touching, ineffably simple performance of The 23rd Psalm (dedicated to my mother) by Bobby McFerrin.” The latest Cantus recording, On the Shoulders of Giants was released in October 2012.
The State Theatre is located at 96 East 4th Street in Zumbrota. For more information call 507-732-5210.