Bobby McFerrin: Circlesongs

Bobby McFerrin is a virtuoso of the human voice. Amongst soaring melodies and rich harmonies, he uses percussive vocal effects, invented language, prayer, wacky noises, and more—all delivered with poise, flair, and most of all, joy. In this exhilarating musical escapade, the singer takes the stage with members of his new group Gimme5 to lead Circlesongs, a series of choral pieces based on grooves that are freshly composed each night. Gimme5 features  Joey Blake, Dave Worm, Rhiannon and Judi Vinar, all trusted veterans of McFerrin’s choir Voicestra. For this Chan Centre performance McFerrin will also be enlisting the vocal talents of Vancouver-based ensemble musica intima—and of course, the whole crowd. “I want to bring audiences into the incredible feeling of freedom I get when I sing,” says McFerrin. “I want everyone to leave the theatre and sing in their own kitchens the next morning.”

A cappella singers, beatboxers, and vocalists of all genres have cited Bobby McFerrin as an inspiration. A winner of 10 Grammy Awards, he is celebrated in jazz and classical circles for his innovations and spectacular technique. His solo performances are legendary—as are his collaborations with artists like Yo-Yo Ma and Herbie Hancock. In this rare visit to Vancouver, he offers audiences an invitation to join the circle and sing along.

Listen to Bobby McFerrin and it's like you're listening to an entire orchestra bubbling up through one man's body. He becomes a flute, a violin, a muted trumpet, a percussion instrument, a bird, you name it.

NPR

A pre-show talk with Steve Maddock will take place at 6:15pm in the Chan Centre’s Royal Bank Cinema. Seating is limited and first come, first served.

$15 student rush tickets for this performance are now sold out.