In the words of Shakespeare, “If music be the food of love, play on” rings true for the Benet Academy Madrigal’s Christmas season. Beginning in August, these top representatives of the music department began working on their caroling. In addition to performing in the annual Christmas concert and Spectacular on campus, our Redwings flew all over the community to spread love and Christmas cheer.

On November 27, they opened the season with a performance at the Goodman Theatre. As people arrived to enjoy the theater’s annual performance of “A Christmas Carol,” they were greeted with their wonderful caroling. In addition, the Madrigals also spread Christmas cheer at the Central DuPage Hospital, for prospective parents, and as a prize in the Benet Auction. The highlight of their season was the Madrigal Dinner. These young performers transported their family, friends and teachers to a 14th century Renaissance castle for an evening.

Senior Justin Smusz (‘18) remarked about their season, “The Madrigal’s Christmas season is like finals but for singing. We spend two months learning all the songs and do thirteen performances in two weeks. Madrigals is an academic class in the way we study the music and sing it from memory. [We sang] twenty-eight Christmas carols [that we] memorized and (sometimes) sang with perfect harmony throughout the ensemble. Even when we mess up, it all turns out okay because we support each other and end up making really beautiful music!”
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