Vocal athletes

There are some things that are awfully tricky to master yet are completely empowering once you prevail. Juggling and a cappella beat boxing are right at the top of the list.

Former St. Albert Children’s Theatre alumnus Luc Tellier has mastered a fairly vigorous imitation of beat boxing by clicking his tongue and popping his lips. He sounds just like the real thing.

A graduate of MacEwan University’s 2013 musical theatre program, Tellier has starred in varied roles that range from Peter Pan to Frankenstein.

Starting a new phase of his artistic career, he is the newest member of 6 Minute Warning, an all-male a cappella sextet featuring a modern, edgy vibe that gets young people excited and carefully treads the boards for older listeners.

Unlike older, more tired sounding barbershop quartets, 6 Minute Warning’s members have substantial expertise in rock, pop, jazz, classical and choral music.

Back for the First Time, the sextet’s first full season concert, is on Sunday, Oct. 5 at the Yardbird Suite.

“This show is such a clear example of what the human voice can do. It’s six guys, six microphones, and the music is created by us,” said Tellier.

Often praised for its tight harmonies, seamless phrasing and intricate beat boxing, 6 Minute Warning features a lively mix of pop and R&B. Think along the lines of Sting, CeeLo Green, Pharrell Williams and Coldplay.

Unlike some groups that prefer using one lead singer, 6 Minute Warning takes a democratic approach with each member performing a series of vocal gymnastics.

“We all switch on and off singing backup or sustained solos. We all have to be vocal athletes,” Tellier said. “The voice is like a muscle. We have to stretch it before and after a performance to keep it healthy.”

The young tenor believes his theatrical background endows the sextet with a fresh perspective.

“My biggest contribution is bringing storytelling elements I learned through MacEwan and St. Albert Children’s Theatre. That’s what is drilled into us while we’re acting. Why do we sing this song? What is it about? Who is it about?”

He speaks about every member with high praise. Brett Ludwig, the group percussionist and beat box champ creates “magic” on stage.

“Once I was in I realized I wasn’t fully aware of how complex music is. I read parts and sheet music but when we started singing together, I realized how full everything sounds.”

As the bass, Andrew Malcolm sings on the lowest register.

“I love hearing him talk and when he sings, it’s earth shattering. He provides the foundation for the whole song. He keeps us in key. He holds down the fort.”

At the other end of the spectrum, Nathan Willis is lead tenor.

“He has this huge voice and he can belt out the big pop-rock anthems.”

The highest register is stickhandled by Tyson Kerr, whose range allows him to hit soprano notes.

“He has an amazing voice. It’s so crystal clear.”

Finally, Matthew Raven displays extraordinary flexibility and range switching with Malcolm on the bass line or vaulting to a tenor line.

Tellier was invited to join the group in April 2013 after former member Tyler Smith moved to Scotland.

“Within singing four bars I was aware I was part of something really, really special,” Tellier said.

At Back for the First Time, 6 Minute Warning will provide a sneak peek of an original new score composed by Kerr in addition to singing original arrangements from contemporary commercial artists.

“The music for this program is created from nothing. Music won’t happen if we don’t put our hearts into it. There’s no press ‘play.’ It’s not manufactured. It’s what we love the most and we’re making it happen.”