On December 3, 4, and 5, the Sterling High School Madrigals performed at the McCormick Center in Rock Falls, Illinois. This was the first time that the S.H.S. Madrigals performed at this facility. 

 Before this year, the performances had taken place at Bethel Church, but this year, choir director Weston Henry decided to take on the challenge of a new environment. The Madrigals are a singing group that dress in Renaissance-type clothes and sing many difficult songs. 

  Madrigals is a very competitive and challenging group to audition for, but over 40 kids within the music department auditioned this year. Newly-added Challand Middle School choir director Matthew Butler took over the chambers’ aspect of the dinners. The chambers are another musical group that are the underclass Madrigals. 

  Junior Leila Anderson shared, “The chambers group was able to improve because Mr. Butler spent a lot of time rehearsing with us.”

  Originally, Henry had been in charge of the chambers, but Butler has redone the chambers style and made it a complete girls choir. 

  This year, the Madrigals had six people on each singing part (except for five people on bass), and 18 songs to master in just a few months. Since they had such little time to prepare, the Madrigals had practices after school, at night, and even had a retreat where they practiced their music continuously.

   These students are a close knit group that care so much about what they do, and what music they produce. Madrigals was a bit different this year, with 11 out of the 23 being seniors. 

  Sophomore Jocelyn Pink states that she is “extremely sad that they are leaving and will no longer be in Madrigals.” 

  Most of these seniors had a major impact on this group, and have been included for several years. 

  All three dinners were completely successful, with more people than they have had in the last eight years. This new setting and group, set a complete new standard for the future of the S.H.S. Madrigals.