Dressed in delightful Renaissance attire and singing with beautiful voices, the Madrigals are a highlight of the holiday season. Many people have positive memories of listening to their serenades of festive and jovial music. The Madrigals put in an extreme amount of effort to perform for us.

The Madrigals’ season starts with a rigorous audition process, which includes each student submitting a video audition, singing in front of a judging panel and then singing with the entire ensemble. After the ensemble is finalized, the members rehearse in class and after school. For the Madrigal Dinner, the ensemble has to memorize over 20 songs and various skits.  Some Madrigals struggle to balance school, extracurricular activities and the Madrigal Dinner. “Lots of people don’t understand how much work and time we have to put in to make it sound as good as it is,” junior Idrees Ali said.

Because the members put so much time into the ensemble, they are a tight-knit group. Every year during parent-teacher conferences, the group travels to the Stronghold Camp in Oregon, IL, to bond and practice their songs. This year, two former Madrigals got married in North Carolina and multiple former Madrigals attended the wedding. “It is pretty amazing to see how the bonds formed through the shared experience of Madrigals last,” choir director Bryan Kunstman said.

They are not only responsible for singing each song accurately, but also for leaving the audience with a memorable experience. “The goal of the singers is to perform the music with intention and musicality in such a way that hopefully will leave the audience inspired,” Kunstman said.

The Madrigals have a sentimental mantra to unify and uplift them. The mantra was carried on from each generation of Madrigals. “The phrase ‘we are one Madz’ comes from the idea that we are an ensemble,” senior Sydney Pflipsen said. “In order to be an ensemble, we have to make sure that we sing and perform as one.”