Hammer Theatre Center Presents Swedish Choral Superstars

Hammer Theatre Center proudly presents the enchanting sounds of award-winning Swedish vocalists The Real Group. Comprised of five dedicated singers and musicians, the long-running group expertly blends jazz, pop, and Northern European choral music. Considered one of the leading forces in the world of vocal music, the group has established itself as one of the cornerstones of modern a cappella. Praised for its "incredible vocal virtuosity" by The Times, The Real Group sings largely in English and cites renowned jazz vocalist and ten-time Grammy Award winner Bobby McFerrin as an inspiration. The Real Group will perform 7:30pm, Monday, February 25 at the Hammer Theatre Center, 101 Paseo De San Antonio, San Jose. For more information and tickets, the public may visit www.hammertheatre.com or call (408) 924-8501.

The Real Group aims to share the beauty of using voice as a primary instrument with the audience, providing a brilliant musical experience with an eclectic set list ranging from The Beatles to Nordic folk songs. The group has even created its own arrangements of contemporary pop songs by artists such as pop superstars Britney Spears and The Backstreet Boys. In 2011, The Real Group's performance at the London A Cappella Festival received rave reviews, with The Times applauding their ability to "move effortlessly from velvet crooning to hard-rock belting" accompanied by "such an array of clicking, hissing, booming effects that you wonder if there are half a dozen drummers hidden round the back."

Formed in 1984 by five students at the Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm, The Real Group's original members were eager to explore the artistic world of vocal music with an emphasis on jazz, pop, and folk music. The group quickly gained an international audience and today, the legacy of The Real Group is developed through worldwide concert tours, recordings, educational mentoring, and published scores. The Real Group has toured for more than 30 years, performed upwards of 2,500 concerts, and recorded 19 albums-and continues to excite audiences all over the world.

The Hammer Theatre Center is a distinctive, state-of-the-art performance venue in the heart of downtown San José. Owned by the City of San José and newly operated by San José State University (SJSU), the Hammer Theatre's mission is to serve the community through artistically and educationally excellent programming that is expressive of the unique characteristics and diverse cultures that comprise Silicon Valley. The broader vision of the Hammer includes arts, innovation, and technology programming on the Paseo de San Antonio, creating a vibrant pathway between SJSU and the Tech Museum and bridging the urban spaces from Saint James Park down to the South of First Avenue cultural district. The Hammer also aims to connect SJSU's more than 37,000 faculty, students, and staff with the downtown cultural and economic corridors.