Orcas A Cappella bass Stan Miller rehearses his madrigal song by lamplight
The Madrigal Dinner Concert planned by Orcas A Cappella Singers next Monday, Nov. 16, comes after a summer spent with the 24-member group dividing into sextets and septets to choose and rehearse their madrigal songs.
The Eastsound group, composed of Stan Miller, Phil Burbo, Marilyn Andrews, Karen Blinn, Gil Blinn, Margie Doyle and Caroline Scott, met weekly in Eastsound to rehearse.
A similar group comes from the West Sound neighborhood, and is composed of Pam Loew, Bev Leyman, Margot Shaw, Jim Shaffer-Bauck, Katherine Ellis and Bill Felber.
From Deer Harbor, Katherine Ellis joined Sheldon Gregory, Patty Johnson, Candy Ver Brugghen, Dennis Bonner and Mireille Paulsen, (traveling from Lopez Island) joined together to sing their chosen selections.
The three groups’ repertoire includes “gossip” songs, fanciful romps, laments, romantic ditties and many a fa-la-la and cuckoo. The separate groups will then join together at the dinner’s conclusion to sing several Elizabethan-era songs arranged by Ralph Vaughan Williams.
All the singers have been attired in period costume, and invite their guests to join in the fun and dress in medieval or Renaissance style.
Because a Medieval banquet featuring prime rib will be served during the madrigal performance at the Camp Orkila Lodge, patrons must purchase their tickets, at $35, at Darvill’s or Eastsound Musical Instruments by close of business on Monday, Nov. 9.
