The atmosphere provided by international audiences has played a part in shaping the mood of the all-male chorus, Chanticleer.

This Saturday, Penn State will have the chance to impact the spirit of the show.

"All sorts of factors keep our performances fresh and exciting," said Matt Oltman, music director of Chanticleer. "The mood of the audience or the people in the hall will alter the sound of the music."

San Francisco-based Chanticleer, hailed as the "world's reigning male chorus" by the New Yorker magazine, will perform a range of American songs at 7:30 Saturday night in Eisenhower Auditorium. Tickets are $15 for University Park students, $39 for adults and $29 for those 18 and younger.

The "Wondrous Free" program is a celebration of the 250th anniversary of the first American song, "My Days Have Been So Wondrous Free." The performance features a wide array of music from Renaissance to jazz.

"The harmonies are beautiful and it really does sound like what they describe themselves as: an orchestra of voices," said Laura Sullivan, director of marketing and communications at the Center for the Performing Arts. "You would think there were instruments involved."

Chanticleer's talent ranges the many depths of musical sound, Sullivan said, becoming powerful when needed, while also maintaining reflective moments.

She added Chanticleer has an undeniable ability to bring music to life.

"They really interpret the words and feelings of the songs, and it comes through with the sound," she said.

Chanticleer has no official music conductor, which lends to a cooperative work experience, Oltman said.

"We shape the music and we make decisions quite communally," Oltman said. "We don't come to hard and fast decisions. We listen to what the music means and what it's saying."

Oltman said he has spent 10 years with Chanticleer. However, his singing career began earlier, when he sang in church at the age of 3.

He said he had known about Chanticleer since high school, adding he auditioned for the group directly after receiving a master's degree from the University of York in London.

Chanticleer members spend half the year on tour through the United States, Europe and Asia, Oltman said.

"Touring can be tiring at times but it's also very exciting," he said. "It's a lifestyle you have to get used to -- living out of a suitcase. You lead two lives -- one on the road and another routine when you're home."

Among all of the audiences the members of Chanticleer have encountered, Oltman said there are few differences.

"It's kind of funny because no matter where we are, even foreign countries, people understand it," Oltman said. "Singing is universal. Everybody can sing."

Christopher Kiver, conductor of the Penn State Glee Club, said he has seen Chanticleer perform.

"It was an incredible concert and I felt that I'd seen a wonderful group perform," Kiver said. "It's certainly a rare opportunity for folks here in State College to see a group of this pedigree."