Madrigals, Madness and Mayhem Reign
At Thomas Circle Singers' March Concert 

Local Non-Profit Will Benefit from All Ticket Sales

WASHINGTON, DC - Tales of love, romance and betrayal; maxims to live by, unusual sounds and the glory of classical music-all this and more awaits listeners as The Thomas Circle Singers (TCS) presents its upcoming concert - March Madrigal Madness and Musical Mayhem. All proceeds of the March 13 concert will assist Life Pieces to Masterpieces, a local non-profit organization that seeks to develop youth leadership through expression in the arts.

Madrigals are pastoral texts of love-a choral form made popular in the late Renaissance era. And the Thomas Circle Singers, a 36-voice mixed choral ensemble, will fill the air with these sounds at 8 p.m. Saturday, March 13, at St. Patrick's Episcopal Church , 4700 Whitehaven Pkwy, NW, Washington, DC. Among the selections TCS will present include the Madrigals of Thomas Morley, an English composer of the late Renaissance era.

In addition, the concert will feature Lamento d'Arianne by Claudio Monteverdi. Monteverdi was an Italian composer, known as the founder of early opera (quite different than the form most of us are familiar with today). TCS will perform four laments from Monteverdi's opera Arianna - originally performed by a female soloist, the works were so popular they moved audiences to tears, and they were later re-worked for a choral performance. In the opera, Arianna's lover, Theseus, is exiled to an island by her father, the king. Arianna leaves on a quest to rescue him, but on the way back, Theseus deserts her and leaves her on another island! The laments Arianna sings (and TCS will perform) are filled with passion, and provide a sharp contrast to the other madrigals of the evening.

American composer Albert Rykken Johnson took six texts from Benjamin Franklin and interpreted them as madrigals in "Advice from Poor Richard." The audience will hear TCS perform this set of sage, pithy and contrite maxims, which contains such gems as "One good husband is worth two good wives - for the scarcer things are, the more they are valued."

The Singers will also present a large work - Five Centuries of Spring, comprised of five madrigals by Kirke Mechem, a contemporary American composer. This intriguing work takes its texts from famous writers of the past five centuries- Thomas Nash (16th century), William Shakespeare (17th century), William Blake (18th century), A.E. Housman (19th century), and Edna St. Vincent Millay (20th century). This complex selection is performed a cappella (as are most of the other madrigals in the concert).

Finally, the Singers delight in presenting the comical genius of PDQ Bach. During this lighthearted piece, Liebeslieder Polkas, "The audience is strongly encouraged to laugh," states Artistic Director James Kreger. The music of PDQ Bach was discovered by Peter Schickele, who got his start at Julliard in the late 1960s; a serious composer in his own right, Schickele took his knowledge of classical music and incorporated humor and unusual sounds into his work. The Liebeslieder Polkas take serious texts by Shakespeare, Ben Jonson and Christopher Marlowe and adapts the words slightly - to hilarious effect. The Singers have had a hard time controlling their laughter during rehearsals, but rest assured: the PDQ Bach selection will be performed with serious concentration!

TCS has long striven to "Transform the City through Song," with an unparalleled commitment to both music and community service. TCS performances have raised over $100,000 for local non-profit organizations in the last six years alone. This season, TCS continues the tradition by donating all concert ticket proceeds to groups that promote youth leadership development.

An Award-Winning Organization
TCS combines superb musical artistry and compassionate social service, donating all ticket proceeds to non-profit organizations that serve Washington residents in need. TCS continues to receive recognition for its musical excellence and its unique service to the Washington community. Recent awards include Washingtonian Magazine's "Washingtonian of the Year" in 2000 and Artistic Director James Kreger's honor as a WETA-FM Hometown Hero award in 2001.

Life Pieces to Masterpieces, beneficiary of the March 13 concert, is a non-profit youth development organization committed to providing viable opportunities for young African-American men. Its mission is to provide these young men, ages 3-21, and living in low-income and public housing east of the Anacostia River, with opportunities to discover their ability to change challenges into possibilities. Using art as an outlet, the participants work collectively to create paintings that illustrate their shared stories. The young artists also participate in leadership development, education enrichment, field trips, and opportunities to display and sell their art. Through this program, Life Pieces to Masterpieces is raising a generation of leaders who will inspire transformation in their community, and, ultimately, society at large. More information can be found at www.lifepieces.org.

A free reception will follow the performance. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for seniors and students. To order tickets for the concert, interested persons may call 202-232-3353, or email: info@thomascirclesingers.org.

It's March Madness of a different kind with Thomas Circle Singers. Come experience the magic and mayhem of these exciting songs at TCS' upcoming concert!

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