Toasts and Torch Songs for Madrigal and MRT Holiday Concert

The HSU Madrigal Singers perform their traditional holiday menu of Renaissance solos, duets and ensemble madrigals on Sunday, December 2 in the Fulkerson Recital Hall. In the second half of the program, the Mad Transit Singers will vocalize up-tempo jazz and swing, as well as lighting up the night with some torch songs.

This year’s Madrigal menu begins with toasts from Thomas Arne (“Which is the Properest Day To Drink?”) and Erasmus Widmann (“Good Health, All Gathered Here!”) With the command to “Sing Ye Muses,” and “Fanfare for Christmas Day,” soloists and various combinations of singers perform works by Henry Purcell, John Dowland, Thomas Morley, Thomas Campion and others, as well as traditional songs from Elizabethan times. Two Madrigal Royalty, Clinton Rebik and Sarah Benzinger, preside over the festivities.

Mad River Transit takes over with songs by Miles Davis and Roger Treece before breaking into a series of solos, duets, trios and quartets. These include Robin DiCello and Melody Walker singing torch song ballads by Harold Arlen, and Rodgers and Hart. The evening ends with a trio rendition of “Late Night Blues.”

The MRT singers are accompanied by Darius Brotman on piano, Robert Amirkhan on bass and Jonathan Kipp on drums.

The holiday concert of the HSU Madrigal Singers and the Mad Transit Singers is on Sunday, December 2 at 8 PM in the Fulkerson Recital Hall on the HSU campus in Arcata. Tickets are $7 general, $3 students and seniors, from HSU Ticket Office (826-3928) or at the door. HSU students free with ID.

Media: North Coast Journal, Arcata Eye