Teenagers running around in the dark at four in the morning armed with glitter and ready to break into houses may seem conspicuous at first. For the Madrigals, though, it’s been a tradition for years.
The night before initiation, a nervous excitement envelops the prospective madrigals, as the anticipation is intolerable. After pouring their hearts and souls into a one-on-one audition with Dr. Lambert, Langley’s choir director, the thought of rejection is unbearable.
Sneaking into the houses of those they would soon deign a Madrigal, the new members’ parents are notified ahead of time, producing further anxiety, for the new Madrigals are aware that their parents already know their fate.
Each year, much like any other rookie-targeted tradition, all the current madrigals dress in black from head to toe and disperse furtively throughout McLean and Great Falls, making their way to the houses of the new madrigals at around 3 AM. Armed with glitter, silly string and blow horns, they charge into each one’s room, turn on the lights, and bombard them with the good news, a wake-up guaranteed to remain in the memory of the shocked new Madrigal.
After screaming, amongst other congratulatory phrases, “You’re a Madrigal!” and taking multiple pictures to commemorate the moment, the current members hand a sign for the rookies to wear for the school day.
For rising junior Connor Kianpour, anxiety was soon replaced by a pleasant surprise come early Friday morning. “My reaction to their arrival was pure bliss. It was like all I’ve wanted for the past several months had all been given to me in a matter of seconds.”
Current junior Madrigal Madeleine Chalk, one of this year’s initiators, believes that “it’s literally the best way you could possibly wake up,” and for the drowsy but excited new madrigals, it truly was.
Although it is granted that such a wake-up call would be unforgettable, rising sophomore Richie Follin claims that what happens after being woken up is the amazing part. “You feel like you are part of a new family, full of talented, hilarious, and extremely friendly singers,” said a joyful Follin. “Once you get the glitter out of your eyes and the silly string off your face, you just laugh with them, and you feel really awesome.”