There is one universal reaction when I tell folks that I live in Oxford. “You are so lucky,” they exclaim. I am. And I’m always curious to find out what it is about Oxford and the university that they miss so deeply and so personally, in a way that I don’t hear expressed about other cities or towns.
So, when I learned that an Ole Miss grad is part of Cantus—a premier men’s ensemble that will perform Saturday at the Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts—I was curious. What, if anything, did he miss about Oxford? (He does. A lot.)
David Walton (UM’11), who received his Master’s Degree of Music in Vocal Performance from Ole Miss, will be returning to Oxford for his first professional appearance since graduating. Though he’s been back for one performance in Oxford, the celebrated tenor says this time, it’s really different.
“When I sang at a friend’s wedding two years ago in Paris-Yates Chapel with some Ole Miss faculty also performing, it felt like I never left,” Walton said. “It will be strange to have colleagues and teachers who mentored me buying tickets to hear me in a professional group and I hope they see a good result of their hard work.”
The nine-member Cantus is an artist-led ensemble. Each piece performed is assigned to one of the singers to produce. The producer is responsible for initial interpretation, leading the allotted rehearsal time and quality control on the fundamentals (notes, rhythms, tuning, vowel choice, etc.).
While at Ole Miss, Walton earned numerous awards and honors, including being elected as the 0pera theater assistant for the UM opera theater department. Even in a group, Walton stands out. He won last year’s “Cantus Idol,” a fundraiser to support the group’s educational and artistic programs, by performing Billy Ray Cyrus’ 1992 country music smash hit “Achy Breaky Heart.” The event fetched nearly $75,000, so it must have been worth it. He admits that as a child, he belted out the tune over the intercom system at a local shoe store for a “buy one get one free” challenge.
Even with that impressive early success, Walton, who is now in his third year with Cantus, credits Oxford with giving him his start.
“I learned how to perform here first,” he said. “I realized I could succeed in music professionally thanks to my teachers, fellow students and colleagues. This is where my wife and I both received graduate degrees and our relationship grew from our life in Oxford together.
“I hope [the audience] finds the male choral music to be enriching and our program about the musical and cultural diversity of the United States to be enlightening,” he added.
Showtime for Cantus is Saturday at 7 p.m. Tickets are available at the box office or online at www.FordCenter.org. Special pricing is available for students, faculty, staff and retirees. Just flash your valid ID and you’ll be set.
David Walton