The King's Singers, one of England's finest male singing groups, performs Wednesday at The Pabst Theater. It's the first time in two years that the group will perform here and it's all thanks to the Milwaukee Choristers.
"We're pleased to be the ones to bring them back to Milwaukee," says Robert Ruggieri, a 32-year member of the Choristers' bass section. "This is an initiative that came out of our fundraising."
The Choristers have a few reasons why they chose the King's Singers -- who primarily sing classical music -- for a concert.
"They are well-known, they have a national following, they epitomize a capella singing and their ensemble singing is as good as it gets," says Ruggieri.
The last time the group was in town, it performed with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, but this go 'round the group will sing a capella.
"They get out there, one guy blows a pitch pipe and they start singing," Ruggieri says.
The King's Singers have been performing, with various members, since the late 1960s after forming at King's College in Cambridge. Wednesday's concert features six singers: countertenors David Hurley and Robin Tyson; tenor Paul Phoenix; baritones Philip Lawson and Chris Gabbitas; and bass Stephen Connolly.
The group is miniscule when compared to the 75 members of the Milwaukee Choristers, which was formed in the 1930s. However, the Choristers are all non-professional singers.
Ruggieri says that most of the members sang in college and high school and wanted to continue singing later on in life. The Choristers aren't that much different from the King's Singers in terms of performance, but they do admire the group.
"(With 75 singers) the same rules apply: Balance, blend, be on pitch," Ruggieri says. "These guys exemplify that."
The Choristers will also perform Wednesday night. They will join the King's Singers for the last two songs of the night: Philip Lawson's arrangement of Billy Joel's "Lullaby" and "You Are The New Day," a John David tune arranged by Peter Knight.
"They're gracious enough to let us sing with them on the last two songs. This is an opportunity no Chorister will want to miss," Ruggieri says. "It's a once in a lifetime thing for most of us."
The song selection was up to the King's Singers. Ruggieri says it was their call. They told them which songs and the Choristers bought the music and have been practicing for their moment in the limelight.
Milwaukee will be one of 13 stops the King's Singers will make in the United States during February, after which they will head back to Europe for concerts. Tickets for the show range from $25 to $75. All proceeds from the event will benefit the Milwaukee Choristers.
The Pabst Web site is pabsttheater.org, the King's Singers' site is kingssingers.com and find the Choristers at milwaukeechoristers.org.
Originally from Des Plaines, Ill., Heather moved to Milwaukee to earn a B.A. in journalism from Marquette University. With a tongue-twisting last name like Leszczewicz, it's best to go into a career where people don't need to say your name often.
However, she's still sticking to some of her Illinoisan ways (she won't reform when it comes to things like pop, water fountain or ATM), though she's grown to enjoy her time in the Brew City.
Although her journalism career is still budding, Heather has had the chance for some once-in-a-lifetime interviews with celebrities like actor Vince Vaughn and actress Charlize Theron, director Cameron Crowe and singers Ben Kweller and Isaac Hanson of '90s brother boy band Hanson.
Heather's a self-proclaimed workaholic but loves her entertainment. She's a real television and movie fanatic, book nerd, music junkie, coffee addict and pop culture aficionado.
