an important note.
Let me just take a moment to vent about something that has been bothering me A LOT for the past couple of days.
So. There are some people that have been making accusations against the Madrigals. Getting mad at us for not helping with the chairs, saying that we don't do anything, claiming that we get too much stage time, and that we think that everyone is obsessed with us and we think that we're the shit. I'm trying to figure out where to start on this one.
Madrigals have always had the reputation of being arrogant, thinking they're the best, and looking down on the other choirs... I'll start with that. When I was a freshman, I thought the same thing. But it's not true. Sure, some people have never been in another choir (some of the boys). But most of us have been in Concert Choir or Bella Voce. I spent two years of my life in Bella Voce, and I have absolutely not forgotten it. I had a blast in Bella Voce, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. It also taught me how to be a better Madrigal, singer and leader, and if you think that we're looking down on you, you couldn't be farther from the truth. I'm speaking from my experience.
As in any group, there are some people that don't put effort into it and are indifferent. However, for those of us who devote every bit of our energy to this choir, these accusations are absolutely hurtful. I've barely slept during all of gig season, and during these key times there is nothing else we think about. If anyone is angry at us for not being able to help set up for the concert, then please don't be. We might not have been helping with the concert during that time, but we were working. It was not our plan to have a gig on that night, but sometimes these things happen and we had to deal with it and then rush back to school. Afterwards (I think this has already been cleared up, but just in case, I'll say it again), we were not told that we had to immediately put the chairs away. After all, our families and friends were out there in the cold waiting to congratulate us. Those who did step in to put everything away shouldn't have had to until they greeted those who came, because they should have been able to say hello to people too. That's just how shows work. Mrs. Maddern should make this clearer in the future.
For those who think we have too much stage time... this is not our choice. It's not like we ran up to Mrs. Maddern and said, "WE'RE THE BEST WE ARE SOOO AWESOME WE SHOULD BE SINGING THE WHOLE SHOW!" Get real. It's always been this way, long before I was even born, I'm sure. Madrigals get at least one more song than the other two choirs (and Bella Voce gets more than Concert Choir, as you know), and we do a girl's and guy's piece, and during the Winter Concert, we also introduce a gig set to the audience. I can't tell you the real reasons for this, since it has obviously never been our decision. But I can tell you that the reason I think the music teachers probably require us to do more songs is that the adult perception is that we can handle learning the most songs. Once again, it's what the teachers think. Yes, I agree with them, while knowing that a lot of people in the other choirs can handle just as much. I know that Bella Voce is awesome, and since I left I have heard great things about the new people in the group (additionally I have heard that this is the best Concert Choir in years, and though I haven't been able to heard them, I believe it). My experience in my years, however, is that there have been people in the group that really hold us back and make things frustrating, so in my years I knew that the number of songs we had to pull together was more than enough. If you think that your group this year can handle more (because I heard about how things have changed since my years and you guys could be more able), then that's awesome. I don't know if Mrs. Maddern would change something that has been a certain way for years though.
The thing that has angered me so much about these complaints is the way they were presented. Loudly saying, "Madrigals are just sitting there! Mrs. Maddern, do something about it! The Madrigals must be too tired to help because Mad Camp just wore them out. That must be it," will do nothing except bring negative attention to those who complain in this way. You just hurt yourself, and frustrate those of us who put all of ourselves into making our contribution to shows and concerts good (as we did during our years in the other choirs). So please, rethink your statements next time. It really angered me and hurt me, and others.
Please leave your comments if you have any thoughts about this topic.
So. There are some people that have been making accusations against the Madrigals. Getting mad at us for not helping with the chairs, saying that we don't do anything, claiming that we get too much stage time, and that we think that everyone is obsessed with us and we think that we're the shit. I'm trying to figure out where to start on this one.
Madrigals have always had the reputation of being arrogant, thinking they're the best, and looking down on the other choirs... I'll start with that. When I was a freshman, I thought the same thing. But it's not true. Sure, some people have never been in another choir (some of the boys). But most of us have been in Concert Choir or Bella Voce. I spent two years of my life in Bella Voce, and I have absolutely not forgotten it. I had a blast in Bella Voce, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. It also taught me how to be a better Madrigal, singer and leader, and if you think that we're looking down on you, you couldn't be farther from the truth. I'm speaking from my experience.
As in any group, there are some people that don't put effort into it and are indifferent. However, for those of us who devote every bit of our energy to this choir, these accusations are absolutely hurtful. I've barely slept during all of gig season, and during these key times there is nothing else we think about. If anyone is angry at us for not being able to help set up for the concert, then please don't be. We might not have been helping with the concert during that time, but we were working. It was not our plan to have a gig on that night, but sometimes these things happen and we had to deal with it and then rush back to school. Afterwards (I think this has already been cleared up, but just in case, I'll say it again), we were not told that we had to immediately put the chairs away. After all, our families and friends were out there in the cold waiting to congratulate us. Those who did step in to put everything away shouldn't have had to until they greeted those who came, because they should have been able to say hello to people too. That's just how shows work. Mrs. Maddern should make this clearer in the future.
For those who think we have too much stage time... this is not our choice. It's not like we ran up to Mrs. Maddern and said, "WE'RE THE BEST WE ARE SOOO AWESOME WE SHOULD BE SINGING THE WHOLE SHOW!" Get real. It's always been this way, long before I was even born, I'm sure. Madrigals get at least one more song than the other two choirs (and Bella Voce gets more than Concert Choir, as you know), and we do a girl's and guy's piece, and during the Winter Concert, we also introduce a gig set to the audience. I can't tell you the real reasons for this, since it has obviously never been our decision. But I can tell you that the reason I think the music teachers probably require us to do more songs is that the adult perception is that we can handle learning the most songs. Once again, it's what the teachers think. Yes, I agree with them, while knowing that a lot of people in the other choirs can handle just as much. I know that Bella Voce is awesome, and since I left I have heard great things about the new people in the group (additionally I have heard that this is the best Concert Choir in years, and though I haven't been able to heard them, I believe it). My experience in my years, however, is that there have been people in the group that really hold us back and make things frustrating, so in my years I knew that the number of songs we had to pull together was more than enough. If you think that your group this year can handle more (because I heard about how things have changed since my years and you guys could be more able), then that's awesome. I don't know if Mrs. Maddern would change something that has been a certain way for years though.
The thing that has angered me so much about these complaints is the way they were presented. Loudly saying, "Madrigals are just sitting there! Mrs. Maddern, do something about it! The Madrigals must be too tired to help because Mad Camp just wore them out. That must be it," will do nothing except bring negative attention to those who complain in this way. You just hurt yourself, and frustrate those of us who put all of ourselves into making our contribution to shows and concerts good (as we did during our years in the other choirs). So please, rethink your statements next time. It really angered me and hurt me, and others.
Please leave your comments if you have any thoughts about this topic.