Madrigal Dinner

Back in college I had a gig each holiday season playing fanfares for the Madrigal Dinners at Stan Hywet Hall in Akron, OH. It was fun and I enjoyed it.



A Madrigal Dinner is a meal and entertainment set in the 13th - 15/16th century. We have to dress in costumes of the era, which tonight had me in a tunic as a trumpeter announcing different events of the evening. There is the court complete with King and Queen, and court entertainers including jesters and troubadours. Music is the madrigal, which was a popular form of secular music of that day.



The other trumpet player tonight I had just met for this gig. We ran down the four fanfares and were ready to go. As we chatted I learned that in the mid to late 1980's, he was studying music in Cincinnati. I quickly formulated that there was a good possibility that he may know one of my former band directors, so I asked "Do you know Scott Nelson?" and he said "Yes! I knew him well, and Tom (another trumpet player mainly responsible for me getting any gigs in Jackson, like that whole Johnny Cash Band thing last summer) knew him really well!" Wow! Small world!



Scott Nelson was one of my middle school band directors and my high school band director my freshman and sophomore years at Highland High School. He was a great director and wonderful teacher. One of those who taught life lessons, not just trumpet lessons, and I always think back to those days with fondness. Especially the Pictures at an Exhibition halftime show! Memories!



Have any memories of high school to share?