Madrigal Dinners, December 11 and 12

On the evenings of Friday, December 11, and Saturday, December 12, the college hosted the annual and always colorful Madrigal Dinner.

This year's fanfare attracted impressive crowds on both nights, and Dr. Tom Ediger's Madrigal Singers provided beautiful voices and a fun-filled new opera, Nerdwell: From Clod to King.

This year's opera also featured the first death scene in the many years the Madrigal Singers have entertained at the semester's conclusion.

And the king's multiple final breaths--I lost count--certainly proved, well, operatic.


In addition to including a first death scene, this play featured what you see in two of the preceding images and the one that follows here: Megan Katz created

PUPPETS.

I had the good fortune to attend each of the two performances and took multiple photographs and some video for your enjoyment:

Photographs: First Night Action and Second Night Action; at the conclusion of the first night, we gathered everyone for a series of posed shots that include the ritual of kissing the pig, a time-honored tradition that is, well, pretty disgusting.

Though as the photograph on the right indicates, some find the repelling compelling.

In addition to the photographs--and you can download single shots or the entire albums--I posted on You Tube the following videos from the second evening.

Four Scenes from Nerdwell: From Clod to King.

Prince Nerdwell of Geek (David Norris) Sings about Breaking Up

The Madrigal Singers Perform PDQ Bach's Renaissance Hit, "Throw the Yule Log on Uncle John."

Enjoy the fanfare.

I include here a video with music from "Silent Night" and images from various band and choral performances from Fall Term--the various music groups at Peru State College wish one and all a wonderful holiday season.

Click on the Image to Read the Cast

Many Thanks to the Graduating Seniors for Their Years of Excellence

First Real Snow of the Year

Snow Day!

Blizzard-like conditions prevailed for most of the afternoon; the snow lets up a bit at 4:00 PM when I post this link.

I did not get the message last night about Peru State's closing for the day, Tuesday, 8 December--the old-model computer I worked with here did not for some reason register the information.

Well, I tried to go to school at 11:00 AM for Student Senate but realized quickly what had happened.

Determined to take some photographs of the birds that gathered at my bird bath and feeders, including ten or so Blue Birds, I discovered that my cameras lacked batteries, which recharged in the office.

So, at 11:30, I walked and stumbled through the beautiful snow to school and, cameras charged, took photographs of the snow and the happy faces that greeted me here and there.

To see what you missed today or to view the beautiful campus in a place of warmth, take a look at the images from Peru State College during a rather heavy snow. You should be able to download all or selected photographs with a click.

I am pretty sure that I managed to photograph the requisite Bobcats. In addition, over the past two days, many birds visited my feeders, including a surprise Yellow-rumped Warbler; I uploaded images and will add to them over the next few days.

PSC Fall Band Concert

On Sunday afternoon on December 6, the College Band and the Hoyt Street Jazz Ensemble entertained an appreciative crowd in the Peru State College Theater on an otherwise miserable day of chill and then snow, a harbinger of the blizzard that hit Tuesday.

The hearty who weathered the chill enjoyed a special treat, for the College Band and the Hoyt Street Jazz Ensemble warmed thing up quickly.


The College Band opened the program, and I recorded for your listening and viewing pleasure their spirited rendition of "They Went ThataWay," a medley of great music from Westerns, including "How the West Was Won."








Then the Hoyt Street Jazz Band took the stage and helped everyone forget longer the nasty weather.

I recorded two of their excellent offerings, "Song For My Father" and Michael Jackson's "Thriller."

And for your viewing fun, I posted quite a few photographs from
the afternoon performances.

Next up: Madrigal Dinner Friday and Saturday evenings, December 11 and 12.





If you want to listen to more, tune in to last year's Fall Band Concert. And enjoy these stills from Sunday's concert.