The video below was submitted to The Forest Scout by Clara Finley. 

You’ve seen the elaborate costumes, you’ve listened to them singing tunes in your classes, and you’ve probably heard of them in passing, but who are the Madrigals?

The name “Madrigals” comes from the type of music they sing. A Madrigal is a Renaissance era, multi-part song, usually without instrumental accompaniment. Junior Camille Valentincic explained that, “our costumes are meant to reflect this era and stay with true to its history. A majority of the songs we sing are from these eras and the costumes really enhance that.” So there is a method to the madness, the outfits match the era, the name, and the songs. Even their beverages are true to the time period. At rehearsals they drink apple juice spiced with cinnamon brewed in a questionable pot, a relative of the Medieval English drink, wassail.  

Like their costumes, the Madrigals song selections are unique. They do not sing the typical holiday hymns and cheery jingles. Instead, “most of our selections are hundreds of years old and are often in/translated from foreign languages, like Latin, French, Spanish, and even some German thrown in there.” Camille’s favorite this season is the emotional and beautiful, “Bring a Torch Jeanette Isabella”.

The talented singers who participate in Mads, as they call it, are part of the chorus, an elective class that meets four days a week as well. Mads meets after school to practice for about two hours. Once a week in September and October, twice a week in November, and even more in December, when they have several performances a week. On top of that, many take voice lessons outside of school which they have to practice for between lessons. If they miss a rehearsal, they are expected to come in early or find time to work with Mr. Haskett in order to catch up on what they missed. All in all, Camille says she puts around 12 hours per week into singing during the busy Mads season.

With all this time they spend together, it’s no wonder the group is so close. I asked Camille if she had a favorite funny story about Mads, but she couldn’t chose just one,  “Honestly, everything in Mads is pretty funny. Mr. Haskett’s always telling us stories about his kids, and when he was growing up in Kentucky (life lesson there: don’t play with mercury.) We dance around and sing a lot. Either Hamilton songs, Mads songs, a combination of both, or even sometimes raps. The big thing this year is to play the preset music on the piano and freestyle to that. I mean when you see people everyday for an extended time and have to hold hands with them, some pretty funny things, most of which are inexplicable to others, are bound to happen.”

Camille acknowledges that there are some stereotypes about “chorus kids”, that they’re oddballs or a little weird. But in reality, these students don’t fit a stereotype. She explained that, “chorus is a pretty varied group, we have sports players, kids in all sorts of clubs, kids who are really smart, kids who aren’t super motivated in school, kids who love to sing and kids whose parents force them to be there. But really, isn’t every activity kind of like that?” Indeed, it is the variety in the types of students chorus and the Madrigals attracts that makes it so unique. Despite these differences, the group is very close, “the people I’ve met in Mads, and chorus in general, are some of the funniest, most interesting and down to earth people I’ve ever known. And truthfully, without chorus I would have never had the opportunity to meet them.” To an outsider like me, it can be hard to understand the bond these singers share, but to Camille it makes sense, “we embrace each other’s differences and it’s only because of [those differences] that we’re all super close and are genuinely good friends.”

These performers are very dedicated to doing what they love, singing. They work hard every day to improve at it. They support each other, but I think it’s time more students and community members of Lake Forest supported them as well. They deserve recognition for their talent, just like any other talented student does. Just because they aren’t out on the court or under Friday night lights doesn’t make what they do any less impressive. They are passionate about singing and while they are recognized as great by many, much of the LFHS student body could benefit from paying a little more attention to the fine arts.

Unfortunately, most of their remaining performances this year are at country clubs or other private venues, but if you want to hear them perform, they will be around town in Lake Bluff and Lake Forest this Friday at locations such as Egg Harbor, LBMS and DPM. If you can’t make it on Friday, consider showing up to the next chorus concert. They’re very entertaining, and you could show some well deserved appreciation for your immensely talented and hard-working classmates and friends.

“Riu, Riu, Chiu” Soloists: Jane Margolis, Will Johnson, Anthony Ferretti, Chris Wiegand, Grace Duggan, Holly Malnati and Bradley Berklich Percussion: Jonathan Panos, Gracie Stockton and Jane Margolis