Choir History
The Davis High Madrigal Singers was founded in 1966 and are an auditioned group of 32 high school students from Davis, California, who perform a wide variety of music dating from the 15th century to the present. In their distinctive, Renaissance-inspired costumes, the chamber choir currently enjoys about 40 performances per year within the United States and abroad. This highly accomplished class, within the CA public school system, demands the best of these young musicians’ talents and they have had the pleasure of working with many renowned U.S. and International musicians. Some of the Madrigals’ most treasured experiences, however, have been through community outreach. From the time-honored tradition of The Madrigal Dinner, a 16th Century holiday feast, to the preparing and serving of meals at The Wayfarer Center and many choral workshops and benefit concerts in between, the Madrigals are committed to their “musical message of joy and hope” through song and service.
Performance Highlights:
2012: Los Angeles Workshop Tour: Eric Whitacre Workshop, Cal State Fullerton, Workshop with LA Master Chorale, Occidental College, Workshop- Cal Poly Pomona.
2011: Performed at St. John the Divine in New York City. Worked with Dr. Eugene Sirotkine, Asst. Conductor-NY Metropolitan Opera, and Dr. Judith Clurman, Juilliard.
2010: Performed in San Marcos-Venice, St. Peter’s-Rome, the Sistine Chapel and throughout Italy. Competed at the Llangollen International Eisteddfod in Wales and placed 3rd in the Youth Choir and 4th in the Chamber Choir divisions for this International Competition.
2009: Master classes with Dr. Eric Whitacre, composer and Dr. Steven Hodson, Westmont College. Performed throughout the Los Angeles area.
2008: Performed at St. John the Divine in New York City. Worked with Dr. Eugene Sirotkine, Asst. Conductor-NY Metropolitan Opera, Dr. Simon Carrington, Yale University, and Dr. Judith Clurman, Juilliard.
2007: Master classes with choral composer Dr. Eric Whitacre, composer and at UCLA and USC, Sacred Music performances in St. Albert’s Priory, Wilshire Boulevard Temple, and Mission of San Gabriel.
2006: Competed in five events at the Llangollen International Eisteddfod in Wales, a world-renowned festival of music, song and dance. They placed 3rd in Youth Choir, 2nd in Senior Children’s Choir, and 1st in Chamber Choir, which won them the honor to participate in the Choir of the World competition.
2005: Toured Boston and New York City; worked with Dr. Andre de Quadros, Boston University, and Dr. Walter Turnbull and the Harlem Boys Choir.
2004: Performed in the Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia.
2003: Josh Groban U.S. tour. The Madrigals sang back up to his hit record You Raise Me Up.
2002: Performed for the American Choral Directors’ Association in Honolulu, Hawaii.
2001: Performed at the Vatican for Pope John Paul II and at St. Paul’s Outside the Wall for the 100th Anniversary of Verdi’s death.
2000: Winners of the International Choral Competition in Prague.
Serving and Singing in the Community:
The Madrigal Dinner: this holiday feast, established in 1968, is one of the Davis community's longest-running and best-loved musical traditions.
Choral Workshops for students K-12 in Yolo and Sacramento Counties
Memorial Day and Veteran’s Day services held annually
STEAC benefit concerts
Yolo Wayfarer Center, Woodland CA: provide meals and music
Performances at Shriners Hospital, UCD Cancer Center, UCD Med Center, University Retirement Home, University Covenant Gardens, Courtyard Healthcare, Sierra Healthcare and more…
Music Repertoire:
With their distinctive clarity and mature sound, The Davis High Madrigal Singers focus on genres of music from the medieval through the contemporary periods; both a cappella and with accompianist.
Patriotic Songs - America the Beautiful, Star Spangled Banner, Tree of Peace
Sacred Classical Songs - Sicut Cervus, works by Monteverdi, Mozart, Bach, Palestrina, Moses Hogan
Secular Classical Songs - Il Bianco e Dolce Cigno, works by Morley, Monteverdi, DiLasso
Secular Comtemporaryt Songs - Works sung by Josh Groban, Imogen Heap, Michael Buble, compositions by Eric Whitacre, Randall Stroope
Multi-cultural Songs - Scottish Folk Songs, Prende La Vela, Hebrew Songs
Performance Highlights:
2012: Los Angeles Workshop Tour: Eric Whitacre Workshop, Cal State Fullerton, Workshop with LA Master Chorale, Occidental College, Workshop- Cal Poly Pomona.
2011: Performed at St. John the Divine in New York City. Worked with Dr. Eugene Sirotkine, Asst. Conductor-NY Metropolitan Opera, and Dr. Judith Clurman, Juilliard.
2010: Performed in San Marcos-Venice, St. Peter’s-Rome, the Sistine Chapel and throughout Italy. Competed at the Llangollen International Eisteddfod in Wales and placed 3rd in the Youth Choir and 4th in the Chamber Choir divisions for this International Competition.
2009: Master classes with Dr. Eric Whitacre, composer and Dr. Steven Hodson, Westmont College. Performed throughout the Los Angeles area.
2008: Performed at St. John the Divine in New York City. Worked with Dr. Eugene Sirotkine, Asst. Conductor-NY Metropolitan Opera, Dr. Simon Carrington, Yale University, and Dr. Judith Clurman, Juilliard.
2007: Master classes with choral composer Dr. Eric Whitacre, composer and at UCLA and USC, Sacred Music performances in St. Albert’s Priory, Wilshire Boulevard Temple, and Mission of San Gabriel.
2006: Competed in five events at the Llangollen International Eisteddfod in Wales, a world-renowned festival of music, song and dance. They placed 3rd in Youth Choir, 2nd in Senior Children’s Choir, and 1st in Chamber Choir, which won them the honor to participate in the Choir of the World competition.
2005: Toured Boston and New York City; worked with Dr. Andre de Quadros, Boston University, and Dr. Walter Turnbull and the Harlem Boys Choir.
2004: Performed in the Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia.
2003: Josh Groban U.S. tour. The Madrigals sang back up to his hit record You Raise Me Up.
2002: Performed for the American Choral Directors’ Association in Honolulu, Hawaii.
2001: Performed at the Vatican for Pope John Paul II and at St. Paul’s Outside the Wall for the 100th Anniversary of Verdi’s death.
2000: Winners of the International Choral Competition in Prague.
Serving and Singing in the Community:
The Madrigal Dinner: this holiday feast, established in 1968, is one of the Davis community's longest-running and best-loved musical traditions.
Choral Workshops for students K-12 in Yolo and Sacramento Counties
Memorial Day and Veteran’s Day services held annually
STEAC benefit concerts
Yolo Wayfarer Center, Woodland CA: provide meals and music
Performances at Shriners Hospital, UCD Cancer Center, UCD Med Center, University Retirement Home, University Covenant Gardens, Courtyard Healthcare, Sierra Healthcare and more…
Music Repertoire:
With their distinctive clarity and mature sound, The Davis High Madrigal Singers focus on genres of music from the medieval through the contemporary periods; both a cappella and with accompianist.
Patriotic Songs - America the Beautiful, Star Spangled Banner, Tree of Peace
Sacred Classical Songs - Sicut Cervus, works by Monteverdi, Mozart, Bach, Palestrina, Moses Hogan
Secular Classical Songs - Il Bianco e Dolce Cigno, works by Morley, Monteverdi, DiLasso
Secular Comtemporaryt Songs - Works sung by Josh Groban, Imogen Heap, Michael Buble, compositions by Eric Whitacre, Randall Stroope
Multi-cultural Songs - Scottish Folk Songs, Prende La Vela, Hebrew Songs
