A group of talented high school singers will head to Radio City Music Hall on Tuesday, November 25, but they will do more than see the famous Rockettes, they will open for them. The Madrigal Singers, a group of students from James Caldwell High School (JCHS), West Caldwell, was one of just eight singing groups invited back to the theater to open for the infamous dancers. The group, comprised of young men and women in grades nine through twelve, will sing a five-minute jazzy acapella arrangement of three Santa songs: "Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town", "Jolly Old St. Nicholas", and "Dig That Crazy Santa Claus". The performance is part of the annual Radio City Christmas Spectacular.
The group travelled to the Radio City Christmas Spectacular back in 2012 to sing for the “Sounds of Christmas” program, part of the Rockettes Celebration, a celebration of 85 years of dance and a showcase featuring the Rockettes' most extraordinary costumes through the years. The group was informed the following year that the program would not be continuing.
“We received an invitation addressed to the JCHS Madrigal Singers from the organization, asking us to return to the stage” said choral director Elsie Timpson. “The ‘Sounds of Christmas’ program was not going to run again this year, but there was a change of plan. We were one of only eight groups asked to return. This really is an honor and we are very excited to be performing at the show.”
Students audition to be a part of the Madrigals group in early September. The group performs music from Renaissance, Classic and Romantic periods, as well as contemporary classical and jazz songs. Most of the music is acapella.
For more information on the Rockettes and the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, visit www.radiocitychristmas.com/newyork.html. For more information on James Caldwell High School, visit www.cwcboe.org/jchs.
