Chanticleer
Chanticleer Names Sixth Music Director: Tim Keeler Assumes Post in August
The San Francisco-based men’s vocal ensemble Chanticleer has named Tim Keeler as its next Music Director succeeding William Fred Scott who retires in June. Keeler will take up his duties as the 2020-2021 season, Chanticleer’s 43rd, begins.
Chanticleer, known worldwide as “An Orchestra of Voices” is the winner of multiple Grammy and other awards including Musical America Ensemble of the Year. Chanticleer has to date created over 60 new works, and released over 50 recordings. Over 120 men have sung with the group since its founding in 1978. Its annual concert schedule of 100 performances takes it throughout the United States, regularly to Europe, and often to Asia.
Tim Keeler sang as a countertenor in Chanticleer in the 2017-18 season. In Chanticleer’s history he will be the fourth of its six Music Directors to have been a member of the ensemble. He is currently the Conductor of the University of Maryland Men’s Choir, having directed choirs at the Julliard Summer Performing Arts Program, the Special Music High School, the Young People’s Chorus of New York City, and vocal groups such as the Trident Ensemble, Audivi, and the Princeton’s Katzenjammers.
As a singer he has performed with numerous choirs and vocal groups including the choirs of Holy Trinity, Trinity Wall Street, and King’s College Cambridge, and ensembles Tenet, Ekmeles, Trident, and Audivi.
Keeler has a special interest in the education of young people. During his season singing with Chanticleer he was a member of the Education Committee and led many clinics and workshops. As Music Director he expects to participate actively in Chanticleer’s multi-faceted award-winning education program.
A 2020 graduate of the University of Maryland’s Doctoral program, he holds a Master of Music from the University of Michigan and a Master of Philosophy in Music Studies from Clare College of the University of Cambridge, England. He graduated cum laude from Princeton University with a Bachelor of Arts in 2011.
Keeler’s appointment comes shortly after Chanticleer’s announcement that retiring President and General Director Christine Bullin would be succeeded in September by Philip Wilder. Wilder sang as a countertenor with Chanticleer from 1990-2003 and has since had a distinguished career in arts management, coming to Chanticleer from six years as Executive Director of San Francisco’s New Century Chamber Orchestra. For the first time in its history, Chanticleer’s artistic and administrative functions will be carried out by former members of the ensemble.
Keeler comments: “Returning to Chanticleer feels like coming home. In this new role, I look forward to building on the close relationship I developed with the ensemble as we toured and sang around the world. Being their Music Director is a huge and joyous responsibility not only to them but also to our faithful audiences. I can’t wait to come back to close friends and beautiful music!”