The award-winning Haddonfield Memorial High School (HMHS) a cappella Madrigal Singers won second place among 19 schools for the second consecutive year at the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire’s live music competition on Oct. 5 in Manheim, Pennsylvania.
This year’s Madrigals, led by director Tyler Mills, performed “So Ben Mi Ch’ha Bon Tempo” (‘I know very well who is having a good time’) – a balletto written by the composer Orazio Vecchi – in Italian. Singers are judged on intonation, clarity, blend, musicality, difficulty and presentation.
Madrigal performances date back to the dawn of Western music in the 1400s and 1500s. Performers sing in both English and Italian and wear period costumes. The high school’s seniors, juniors, and sophomores must audition to beome members of the group.
This year’s troupe consists of Mia Bompensa, Ryan Cataldo, Leah Cedar, Henry Cowan, Elena Domenico, Jeavon Durham, Charlotte Fenerty, Paige Fitzpatrick, Tommy George, Aiden Hammel, Nick Hehl, Maddie Kehner, Ryka Khanna, Chloe Kilkelly, Ryan Kopp, Estella Maguire, Eleanor McMackin, Connor Mollis, Mo Nobel, Ella O’Neil, Rebecca Seligman and Tess Smith.
Founded in 1997, the Haddonfield High Madrigals have performed at the White House; the Washington National Cathedral; Drumthwacket, the official residence of New Jersey’s governor; and the Kimmel Center, along with holiday performanes in the Haddonfield community.
