On Madrigals
Why We Lost the Madrigal Feast and How We Can Get it Back
Helen Highberger and John-Clark Levin
Last Updated: 12/30/09 Section: Features
Did Snortum seek higher approval to end such a longstanding tradition? Yes, she says. Snortum recalls speaking with CMC President Pamela Gann in 2005, shortly after Charles Kamm pulled the Chamber Choir out. In that meeting, she says, she expressed her concerns about Madrigals and Gann gave her carte blanche to make whatever decision she felt necessary. It's unclear, though, whether President Gann intended this to apply just to that year, or an indefinite future period. The President's Office said that Gann could not immediately be reached for comment.
With regard to student confusion, Snortum says that the decision not to hold Madrigals in 2009 should have already been made clear through ASCMC, which, she says, the Athenaeum notified some time last spring. Current ASCMC President Isayas Theodros '10, then Vice President, doesn't recall any spring communication. "We were first made aware in October," he says. "We tried to do everything in our power to make it work ... we contacted local chamber choirs, madrigal groups, etc. We eventually found a couple groups that were willing to perform on the given dates and for our price range, but at that point we would have not given the staff at the Ath enough time to appropriately organize the event."
Could this have been averted if the situation had been made clearer, sooner? Snortum was unclear on why no general announcement was made. Neither Dean Huang nor Professor Appel were aware of any deliberate policy decision surrounding whether or not to announce Madrigals' cancellation. And what of the efforts to reinstate the Madrigal Feast at the eleventh hour this year? Theodros says that ASCMC budgeted $7,500 for general Madrigal expenses, the bulk of which "was set aside for a vocalist group." The Athenaeum made no efforts to impede the last-minute search for such groups, but Snortum is dubious that that was ever a real possibility. "[The money] might have been allocated," she said, "but the money's not there." She did not elaborate on her reasons for skepticism. And what about the drunkenness? Snortum says that the prospect of a dry Madrigal was never even raised. "I don't think it would fly," she said, "I can't imagine nonalcoholic eggnog." Did the Ath seek out help from the Dean of Students' Office or ASCMC to establish clear standards on alcohol? Not this year, but Snortum thought it would be a good idea for the future.
With regard to student confusion, Snortum says that the decision not to hold Madrigals in 2009 should have already been made clear through ASCMC, which, she says, the Athenaeum notified some time last spring. Current ASCMC President Isayas Theodros '10, then Vice President, doesn't recall any spring communication. "We were first made aware in October," he says. "We tried to do everything in our power to make it work ... we contacted local chamber choirs, madrigal groups, etc. We eventually found a couple groups that were willing to perform on the given dates and for our price range, but at that point we would have not given the staff at the Ath enough time to appropriately organize the event."
Could this have been averted if the situation had been made clearer, sooner? Snortum was unclear on why no general announcement was made. Neither Dean Huang nor Professor Appel were aware of any deliberate policy decision surrounding whether or not to announce Madrigals' cancellation. And what of the efforts to reinstate the Madrigal Feast at the eleventh hour this year? Theodros says that ASCMC budgeted $7,500 for general Madrigal expenses, the bulk of which "was set aside for a vocalist group." The Athenaeum made no efforts to impede the last-minute search for such groups, but Snortum is dubious that that was ever a real possibility. "[The money] might have been allocated," she said, "but the money's not there." She did not elaborate on her reasons for skepticism. And what about the drunkenness? Snortum says that the prospect of a dry Madrigal was never even raised. "I don't think it would fly," she said, "I can't imagine nonalcoholic eggnog." Did the Ath seek out help from the Dean of Students' Office or ASCMC to establish clear standards on alcohol? Not this year, but Snortum thought it would be a good idea for the future.
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