Spring Madrigal Feast May 19, 2005

A Spring Madrigal Feast, directed by Lawrence Burnett, professor of music and choral director, will be presented at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 19, and Saturday, May 21, at Carleton College?s Severance Great Hall. The doors will open at 6:10 p.m. and guests are encouraged to arrive early. Tickets are $20 and must be purchased in advance no later than Monday, May 16. Tickets are available for purchase in person with cash or check at Carleton?s Office of Campus Activities, located in Sayles-Hill, Room 150. The office is open on weekdays from 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Tickets are also available by mail with an order form available from the Carleton music department office or web site. Phone orders are not available.

Seating for the feast will be at tables each accommodating eight guests. Seats will be assigned in the order in which payment is received. Guests are encouraged to purchase tickets early if they wish to request specific seats.

The Spring Madrigal Feast is a 20th century re-creation of the grand feasts held in royal mansions during England?s Renaissance period. During the 16th century, guests would be presented with an abundance of food and displays of humor and music. At Carleton?s feast, guests will be entertained by an Elizabethan ?royal court? of nobility, a court jester and royal followers, all portrayed by members of Carleton choral ensembles in Renaissance costumes.

The feast will begin with greetings and the ceremonial seating of guests. It will be followed by a Royal Processional with the entry of the Royal Court. The feast, which will include both vegetarian and meat options, will be accompanied by entertainment such as table serenades, gags and jokes. The evening will conclude with ?Songs of Love,? a performance of selected seasonal love songs.

In addition to his role as choral director, Burnett teaches courses in choral literature, vocal diction, conducting and African American sacred music history. He received his B.M. from Texas A&M University, Kingsville, his M.M. in choral conducting, vocal performance and vocal pedagogy from Eastern New Mexico University and his D.M.A. in choral conducting from the University of Texas, Austin. His career includes solo vocal performances in recitals, oratorios, musicals and operas with orchestras from Texas, New Mexico and New York, among others.

Burnett has taught for more than 30 years, serving as guest conductor for numerous choral competitions and festivals. In 1992, he was presented the first New York State Governor?s Award for African Americans of Distinction. Most recently, he was awarded a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to aid in the development of a Web site for the study of significant African American choral compositions. He is active in a number of professional organizations including the American Choral Directors Association, where he serves as the national chair of the repertoire and standards committee for ethnic and multicultural perspectives.

For more information or disability accommodations, call Carleton?s music department at (507) 646-4347.