Let Your Heart Be Singing with Madrigal and MRT Singers

Beginning with the “Fanfare For Christmas Day” by English composer Martin Shaw, the HSU Madrigal Singers and Mad River Transit celebrate the season with their patented mixture of 16th century tradition and 20th century jazz in their annual holiday concert on Sunday, December 6.

The Madrigal Singers, clad in Elizabethan costume, sing solos, duets and trios as well as traditional madrigals. This year the selections are by England’s John Dowland, Thomas Arne and Thomas Ravenscroft, and Welsh composer William Mathias. The Singers will perform versions of three madrigals by contemporary American composer Emma Lou Diemer, and “Come, Let Your Hearts Be Singing” by late Renaissance Italian composer Giovanni Gastoldi.

Then the Mad River Transit singers take over, accompanied by the instrumental trio of Darius Brotman on piano, Robert Amirkhan on bass and Jonathan Kipp on drums.

Among the selections, soprano Kelly Whitaker and baritone Bryan Lieser sing “When Sunny Gets Blue” by Marvin Fisher, and soprano Brandy Rose goes solo for Michel Legrand’s “You Must Believe in Spring.”

Claire Bent revives Frank Sinatra’s early hit, “Nancy (With the Laughing Face)” by Jimmy Van Heusen and Phil Silvers. The song was written about Frank’s daughter, Nancy Sinatra. Ensemble tunes include “Sugar Turrentine” and “Cookin’ At the Continental.”

Both groups are directed by Harley Muilenburg, HSU Professor of Choral & Vocal Music.

The annual Madrigal Singers and MRT holiday concert is performed on Sunday December 6 at 8 p.m. in the Fulkerson Recital Hall on the HSU campus in Arcata. Tickets are $7 general, $3 students/seniors, from the HSU Ticket Office (826-3928) or at the door. Free to HSU students with ID.

Media: Humboldt State Now, Arcata Eye