Concerts are free.
Donations are appreciated to help our ongoing mission of providing quality and variety of music for everyone in the Springfield area.

Wednesday, February 27
12:15 -12:45 PM

The Rochester
High School Madrigals

Josh Spear, Director





The Rochester High School Madrigals is an auditioned curricular choral group of 42 students in grades 9-12. The class meets every other day all school year for 90 minutes. Additional night rehearsals are held in the late fall to prepare for the annual Rochester Madrigal Dinners and Teas.

Though named "Madrigals" this group does much more than put on a Madrigal Dinner as the top choral group at Rochester High School. Their repertoire ranges from Renaissance to contemporary choral music, spanning many genres, languages, and cultures. In addition to various school concerts and community performances throughout the year, Madrigals' students are regularly selected for participation in IMEA All-District and All-State Festivals. Each year Madrigals students perform at IHSA Solo/Ensemble and Organizational Contests where they have consistently earned first-division ratings. During the holiday season, the RHS Madrigals may be found performing at many places around Springfield, including most recently at the downtown Holiday walks, Festival of Trees, the Mary Bryant Home, and Channel 20.

Mr. Josh Spear is the director of the RHS Madrigals. He is a 2004 graduate of the University of Illinois with a Bachelor's of Music Education, and is in his fourth year teaching at Rochester High School. He is in charge of choirs and music theory classes at Rochester High School, as well as 7th-8th grade chorus at Rochester Jr. High. When not teaching Mr. Spear enjoys singing with the Illinois Symphony Chorus, serving in worship ministry at West Side Christian Church, watching the Cubs and the Illini, and spending time with his fiance, Bethany, and his friends.