A Madrigal Feast at Silver Creek
by Emma Finders and Jordan Holloway
“To all ye who in our kingdom dwell, we bid thee welcome.” These are the
opening words that were spoken three times last weekend at the opening of the annual
Royal Madrigal Feast, held at your own Silver Creek High School.
The Madrigal Feast is an elaborate musical performance presented by the choirs,
orchestras, and bands that take classes during the school day in the A wing. Every year,
the students and music directors spend over a month preparing for the three-hour
performance that will happen three times during the first weekend in December. The
performance is a magnificent display of what we do in the A wing, and a fun time for all
who attend. So many traditions have been built off of the Madrigal, and reliving them
every year is a joy for all. This year was a success as usual.
The main theme of the Madrigal is the Renaissance. Every student is required to
dress like a commoner from that time period, and the commons is turned into a castle.
The theatrics are enjoyed by all ages and they add immensely to the feel of the entire
evening.
All of the choirs perform at the Madrigal, as well as the Symphonic Orchestra,
Fiddle Group, and some smaller groups made of students from the bands as well as the
choirs and orchestras. Each year, each group has a part in the concert program, and
then a piece is performed that incorporates all three of the groups. In addition, the
Silver Creek Theater Company its own bits of performance during the show, to really
make the audience feel as though they’re at a 14th-century feast.
The orchestra concert program consisted of the “Gloria” from Haydn’s Mass, the
“March” and “Trepak” from The Nutcracker Suite, the “Dance” from Holst’s Brook
Green Suite, the “March” from Dag Wiren’s Serenade for Strings, and a medley of songs
from How the Grinch Stole Christmas. These pieces were interspersed in the program