June: When other Mahomet Seymour high school students were thinking about summer fun with friends, a small group was thinking about Christmas. That group of students belonged to an elite assembly of singers: MSHS’s Madrigals. And all the planning and preparation that started on June 1st, will culminate in their 33rd annual Madrigal Dinner on December 12 and 13.
In speaking with three of the Senior Madrigal singers and their director, certain themes come to mind. One is all the hard work that has gone in to creating the performance. Another is the proud tradition of singers who came before and who will come afterward. And the last theme is a pure love of music.
For Griffin Megeff, King, and Set II Director, the performance is what he enjoys most. “We put in a lot of hours. We started in June and have put in a lot of time practicing,” Megeff said. He went on to note that when the dinner finally happens and everything comes together, that’s the part he enjoys the most. “It really is blood, sweat and tears, all the behind the scenes work that goes on,” he said.
The annual Madrigal dinner is much more than the performance of the 21 vocalists, seven members of the brass, and four recorder players. Countless other MSHS choir members and their parents contribute to the three performances.
The commons area of the high school and the area leading up to it are transformed in to a medieval castle, said Jill Rinkel, MSHS vocal music teacher and Madrigal director. “Parents come starting at 2:30 on the Friday before to help set up,” she added. It takes almost five hours for parents and students to create the proper ambiance for the performance.
But those five hours represent a minuscule amount of the preparation time. Audition for a school year’s madrigal singers take place during the previous spring. Auditions are open to any incoming MSHS student. Since there are so few spots, it is very difficult for an incoming freshman to garner a spot. Male voices are most likely to be part of the group for all four years of high school, according to Rinkel.
Students prepare for auditions in many ways, according to Jordy Bollman, senior and Set I Director. “We have to prepare two pieces,” she said. “Some of us take voice lessons, while others just get in groups to practice,” she noted.
Rinkel said she is looking for singers who blend their voices together well, who can hold their part when singing acapella (without instrumental accompaniment), and whose face and body language help to convey what they are singing. Acting ability is also helpful, as the Madrigal dinner contains a small play within the performance, called a Masque, said Rinkel. This year’s masque is Much Ado About Nothing.
Costumes also help create the atmosphere of a renaissance castle at Christmas time. On occasion a new costume must be made, but most costumes are part of the MSHS music department. The tradition of the singer who wore the costume comes to mind for Bollman. “I like to think about the singers who wore my costume in the past,” she said. She said she especially enjoys talking with former MS Madrigal singers who come up to her and tell her about how when they wore the dress she is wearing.
Fellow senior, Marissa Vogelsang, who is this year’s queen and Set III director, also said she enjoys when alumni come to the performance.
“Sometimes they sing along with us,” Rinkel said.
When those alumni attend the Madrigal Dinner and blend their voices with current singers, it bridges the love of music from past to current to future. And the love of music is a part of who the Madrigal singers are and always will be, they said.
While none of the high school seniors are attending college specifically to study music, they all said they hope to attend colleges or universities with strong music programs they can be a part of.
“Music is not something I’m ready to give up,” said Vogelsang. Her fellow seniors agreed.
The culmination of hard work, the tradition of the dinner and the love of music will be on display for three performances, starting Saturday, December 12. Tickets are already on sale, and some performances are close to selling out, according to Rinkel.
Prices for the full, catered dinner performances are $20 each. Full dinner performances are Saturday, Dec. 12 at 6 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 13 at 2 p.m. A Saturday afternoon dessert program starts at 2 p.m. and tickets for that performance are $10.
“All tickets MUST be purchased in advance,” said Rinkel, adding “no tickets for any performance are sold at the door.” Guests are seated according to the date of ticket purchase.
Tickets may be purchased through any Madrigal Singer or by downloading an order form from the Music booster website (www.msmusicboosters.org) and sending it to Jill Rinkel, M-S High School, 302 W. State St., Mahomet, IL 61853.
The Mahomet-Seymour Madrigals, directed by Jill Rinkel, and assisted by Nicole Kuglich, is the premier ensemble of the Mahomet-Seymour High School Choral Program. Initiated in 1983 by former director Janet Watkins, this extra-curricular group rehearses two afternoons per week to prepare for three Madrigal Dinner performances.
In addition to the dinner performances, the Madrigals entertain many other groups throughout the holidays, and participate in Solo and Ensemble Contest during the spring.
“Then it’s time to audition for next year’s madrigals,” laughed Bollman.
The 2015-2016 Madrigal singers include: Lady Jordanne Bollman, Lord Kenneth Buchanan;, Lady Elizabeth Eichstedt, Lady Elaine Erdey, Lord Gabriel Fulk, Lady Virgina Fulk, Lord Erik Giles, Lord Cole Johnson, Lady Laura Ledin, Lord Gabriel Llano, Lady Anna Lundquist, Lady Hayley McDade, Lord Griffin Megeff, Lord Zachery Przytulski, Lord Nate Smith, Lady Hannah Tomashek, Lady Marissa Vogelsang, Lord Nicholas Voss, Lady Sydnie Walsh, Wench Natalie Douglas, and Jester Alex Smith.
The Madrigal Brass are directed by Phil Meyer and the Madrigal Recorder Consort is directed by Jacob Beinborn. Additional special roles, filled by members of the MSHS Choirs within the dinners include Pages, Head of Servers, Serving Wenches, Litter Bearers, and Servers.
For more information, contact, Jill Rinkel by e-mail (jrinkel@ms.k12.il.us) or by calling the high school’s Music office 586-note (6683).
