Madrigal and six other schools attend the tri county vocal clinic conference each year to work with a clinician, to improve their abilities, and to learn from each other.

  “It was just to practice and perform them better,” senior Conner Wood said.  

“It’s really fun meeting other students and singing in such a large group,” senior Haylee Pals said

  Most of Jan 13th  Madrigal rehearsed their four songs and then they were given a little musical hospitality. Before the Madrigal students showed them their musical talent the college students gave them a performance.

   The group performed four songs for the UCM college students including “Dies Irae”, “Freedom Train”, “You’re The Voice”, and “I Love all Graceful Things.”

“They performed for us, so in return we performed for them,” Wood said.

“They  were a good crowd,” freshman Allison Thomas said, “they were quiet and clapped when they were supposed to.”

  The musicians were directed by clinician and Southwest Baptist University graduate Bernard Brown. Brown previously had worked with some directors of the conference and he was recommended.

  “He’s really good at working with kids,” music director Charlene Million said.

  “An instructor came and we worked on skills and performance all day,” Pals said

    Students in Madrigal reported that meeting and working with the instructor was their favorite part of the trip, besides their stop at King Chef that is.

  “I liked getting to know the director, he was an interesting guy with an interesting background and cool stories,” junior Blake Brodersen said.

  “I liked the director’s personality,he was trying to make everyone laugh the whole time,” Wood said.

  “The director was very interesting and funny,” Pals said.

  Not only was the trip a fun school getaway for Madrigal, but the 32 students from Warsaw who attended believe they benefited from it. Having Madrigal perform in an unfamiliar place and work with an unfamiliar director stretched their skills.

  “By going and practicing all day we know we have to pronounce and crescendo or  decrescendo to make it sound right,” Wood said.

  “It gives you the experience of singing in front of people who aren’t your parents, unlike at our school concerts,” Brodersen said.  

  “I learned that when you crescendo to slightly open your mouth,” Thomas said.

  “We definitely worked on bettering our voices,” said Pals.