Our American Journey: Lyrics, harmonies, and rhythms in the musical heritage of the U.S.
The GRAMMY® Award–winning vocal ensemble Chanticleer is known around the world as “an orchestra of voices,” celebrated for its wide-ranging repertoire and dazzling virtuosity. Founded in San Francisco in 1978 by singer and musicologist Louis Botto, Chanticleer quickly became one of the world’s most prolific recording and touring ensembles. The group has sold more than one million recordings and performed thousands of concerts for audiences across the globe. As The New York Times writes, “These men are phenomenal: as fresh as a blade of grass, tightly focused and keenly expressive.”

This summer, the ensemble celebrates America’s 250th anniversary of independence with Our American Journey, a program highlighting the diverse voices, songs, harmonies, and rhythms that shape the nation’s shared musical heritage. At the heart of the program is a new commission by composer Trevor Weston, exploring the connections between traditional American hymnody and African American spirituals. Other repertoire traces the evolution of American choral traditions—from Black gospel quartets and shape-note singing to barbershop harmony and vocal jazz.

The program also features settings of traditional American bluegrass tunes and beloved folk songs such as “Calling My Children Home” and “Shenandoah,” alongside arrangements of contemporary classics including Queen’s “Somebody to Love” and “Home” from The Wiz.

The program revisits Chanticleer’s 2002 album Our American Journey, which was inducted into the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress in April 2025. Building on that recording, the ensemble continues the voyage, exploring how many distinct musical voices have shaped—and continue to shape—America’s choral tradition.

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