December was, as ever, a performance-packed month for the school’s Madrigals. According to Mrs Leah Tarrant (affectionately nicknamed ‘Mama T’ by Choir students), they have been practicing since September for their many Christmas performances, consisting of 14 songs at 40 different locations between December 1st and 17th, with performances at the school on the 1st and 14th.

The Madrigals’ many performances aren’t the only thing keeping students busy this season, as the school’s advanced women’s chorus, known as the Graces, will be joining up with some of the men from the school’s various choir groups for Honor Choir, which requires students to practice six songs on their own time, with two all day rehearsals and a final performance at Abravanel Hall at the end of the second day.

Despite the high number of performances the Madrigals took part in this year, Tarrant said  “The kids don’t see it as work at all, like, at all.”

Karl Gardner and Preston (PJ) Valora, are both involved in Madrigals and taking part in Honor Choir in late January. Valora said “I also think that it is not work because we are spreading christmas joy and that should not be a job. I won’t have very much free time, but it’s okay because performing is something that I love to do.”

Gardner agrees with Valora on all of these points. In regards to keeping up work in his other classes, he said “We’re usually done with our performances by at least 9:00 [p.m.] so that gives me three hours at least to finish my homework.”

Of the same, Valora said  “[Madrigals is] an extracurricular class, so I basically have to put more work into other classes to be able to stay on top, which means [I have to] focus harder and work on my own time.”

For students interested in joining the Madrigals and taking part in Honor Choir next year, Gardner gave this advice. “Take choir classes, and practice your singing everywhere. … And listen to Mrs Tarrant. She knows what she’s talking about.”

Valora added, “Start right now, managing your time. Try to get as much done in as little time as you can, quality though. Always make sure that you stay up on what you need to grade wise and make sure that you’re always positive and that you always help lift other people.”

Tarrant explained the requirements for becoming a Madrigal. “You have to be a senior girl or a junior or senior guy, you have to have a 3.0 CPA and GPA, and then there’s an audition that will happen in April, and they will be chosen from that.”