DHS Madrigals

When I was in grade school, every year a group of singers called the Madrigals would visit and sing Christmas Songs for us. They were so entertaining and fun to watch, and they presented an elegance that captured my eye, not even realizing they were just high school students. Their unique way of communication through actions and singing started a fire in me, a fire that stayed with me until it was my turn for high school. Ever since I was little, I had wanted to be a part of the DHS Madrigal group. And my wish came true.

Madrigals, a medieval tradition that began in the 16th century, is the top singing group at Dunlap High School. We sing during the winter season, travelling to different parts of the area to perform at different venues. However, our biggest performance and the purpose of it all is the Madrigal Knight dinner.

The Madrigal Knight dinner took place December first and second. If you are wondering what the heck happens at this dinner, then I will be happy to tell you every detail of the process and the knight itself.

Madrigals starts preparing in August, and it takes up until December to memorize all of our songs. They are all Christmas/seasonal songs that we sing, and they are all a capella (no instruments except for percussion occasionally). The dinner is set in the medieval Britain, centered around the Madrigals, who are royalty, including the King and Queen. The dinner also consists of the Court Singers, the singing women's group who also graciously help serve the dinner to all of the guests. We sing, perform a skit, tell riddles, act silly, and more. It is an indescribable occasion appreciated most by the performers themselves.

I received the honor in my last year of high school to be the Madrigal Queen, an opportunity I only would wish about. I was so excited to fill this role during the season, however it was not anything I expected.

Being Queen was a different type of leadership role. Never before had I felt the influence that something as small as my mood could cause. If my mood was down, the group went down. If I was in a uplifting mood, the group would show the same. It was the first time in my life I had seen a group of my peers looking up to me in such an influential way. If I was singing with low energy, I noticed that the group was not performing the song well. The different dynamic that came with being Queen was an interesting, but also rewarding learning experience.

Madrigals is one of the most amazing groups I have ever been a part of. Learning and singing difficult song arrangements with people who share the same passion as you do is such an empowering experience. This season was full of hard work, patience, disappointment, tension filled moments, and happiness unlike anything else.

To me, Madrigals is more than just a high school singing group. I have learned life-long lessons, made life-long relationships, and my passion for music has grown tremendously through singing with so many different people. It is a different creative outlet that I can’t experience with anyone or anywhere else. Making music is not easy; the hours of work I have spent preparing for Madrigals is not even worth counting anymore. It is hard to explain to others the difficulty of learning and memorizing 40 songs perfectly without someone to conduct. It is a combination communication and trust that makes Madrigals so successful; a combination that doesn’t come very easily. Most times, it takes up until the night of the Madrigal dinner to fully understand what we have to do to be successful. And when we do, that’s when we know it has all paid off.

The DHS Madrigal group is wonderful and talented group of students who work hard, love music, and put every ounce of their energy into two nights in December. It seems like too much work for only two nights, but it the most rewarding nights you could ever experience.