BEAT-BOX MAYHEM
Chantage, Jes and Hobbit - Monday all day
Beyond Words is proud to be part of an exciting yet improbable collaboration between one of the country's top chamber choirs and two outstanding beat-boxers (or 'vocal percussionists'). They will be conducting workshops throughout the day, and all participants will come together for what promises to be a spectacular performance at 6.30pm.
BBC Choir of the Year in 2006, Chantage are a stylish and energetic chamber choir whose versatility knows no bounds, whether performing new commissions, traditional choral material or collaborating with beatboxers. It’s led by music director James Davey.
James began his musical career as a chorister and brass player, gaining a place at the Birmingham Conservatoire to study trumpet and cornet, where, during his final year, he formed his first choir. This first experience of conducting, inspired by singing with the National Youth Choir and the critically acclaimed Laudibus, marked a significant turning point and James was allowed to adapt his BMus degree course to reflect this change in direction, even though no official courses in Choral Direction were available from the Conservatoire at the time.
In 2002, James took up an appointment at the BBC, leading a project to re-catalogue the BBC’s vast collection of choral sheet music, and acting as the archive’s chief choral advisor. This was a great opportunity for James to broaden his knowledge of choral repertoire. Whilst at the BBC, James gained valuable experience working with the BBC SIngers, the UK’s only full-time professional choir, for whom he has worked as a practitioner on their education project - GoSing.
Jes Sadler, more popularly known as Jestar*, had a classical music training, and was Baritone and Vocal Percussionist with world-renowned a cappella ensemble ‘The Swingle Singers’ from 1998 to 2007, as well as being the Technical Director of the group for much of that time. Jes refers to himself as a "multi-vocalist", able to take on all manner of styles and techniques.
Jes is also an accomplished and versatile beatboxer. He performs with Shlomo and The Vocal Orchestra, a stunning ensemble comprising many of the UK's leading young beatboxers and vocal performers that gave its debut performance at the International Human Beatbox Convention in London in March 2007. As a vocal percussionist he has developed his own style of "Jazz VP" and he is in demand as both a session singer (having appeared on numerous commercials, albums and TV campaigns) and backing vocalist (most recently with TV "mobileAct unsigned" finalists Fitzgerald).
Hobbit is the son of a nationally renowned blues musician and concert pianist, and was surrounded by numerous genres of music from birth. Quickly becoming an accomplished musician in his own right, Hobbit soon found percussion to be his true calling and with his love of hip-hop naturally gravitated towards beatboxing.
By the age of 15, Hobbit was already performing to packed venues. From one-off shows to national tours, Hobbit performed his live show in front of crowds of 50 to 10,000. He has not only appeared on stage, but has also featured on numerous regional, national and international radio and TV shows, and in a number of advertising campaigns. He has released his own DVD, Do the Beatbox, and his ‘Top Featured’ Video on YouTube.com has to date received over 1 million views worldwide. In the last 12 months Hobbit has secured management and sponsorship deals.