IT'S NOT OFTEN that you see 17 teenagers singing in costumes better suited for a Renaissance fair than an American high school. However, that is exactly what happens during the winter holidays when the Uni High Madrigals perform.

The madrigals are a group of Uni singers known almost as much for their distinctive dress (see photo above) as for their soaring voices.

And this is the time of year when they shine.

The madrigals perform several times a week around campus and in the C-U community before winter break. Since Dec. 6, they've had five performances, including an appearance Thursday at the University of Illinois Chancellor's Reception at the Beckman Institute.

Also this week, on Wednesday, they traveled to Parkland College, where local TV station WCIA taped them for broadcast later this month as part of the station's Christmas programming.

The group will appear with singers from other local high schools on a show titled "Holiday Expressions." The program will air on WCIA Channel 3 at noon and 5 p.m. Christmas Day. The program will also air on WCFN Channel 49 at 9 p.m. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

"The taping went pretty well," said senior Michelle Gao, one of the group's sopranos. "We used the set of 'A Christmas Carol,' which is the show that Parkland's putting on right now, and it was really pretty. The girls got to hold candles, and we spent maybe 10 minutes warming up before we actually sang. We ended up singing the 'Lute-Book Lullaby,' by 2006 Uni alum Stephen Buzard, and 'All Ye Who Music Love.'"

The group will perform again at 7:30 p.m. Sunday at Holy Cross Church. And, of course, the madrigals are planning a bit of a "surprise" for the Uni population, which will be revealed next week.

So who are the singers talented enough to make it into this select group? And how are they chosen?

THE SELECTION PROCESS

The madrigals change their cast every year with the addition of newcomers and the graduation of seniors. Unlike chorus, where anyone with a desire to join can do so, madrigals has a musically rigorous audition process.

There is fierce competition to fill the scant number of slots (only between 16 and 18 every year), especially among the girls, who tend to try out in greater numbers than the boys.

Like any other competition, experience pays off, and not many younger students make it into these elite ranks. Fine arts head Rick Murphy, who directs the madrigals, says that in his 25-plus years at Uni, there has never been a subfreshman in the group. Nevertheless, all students in chorus are encouraged to audition, including subfreshmen, if only for the experience of trying out.

Auditions are held early in the school year, but most of the people already know each other, so there is a lot of lighthearted joking as the process begins. When things settle down, everyone is given a piece of paper and must write down any activities that would conflict with practices and performances after school or on the weekends.

Everyone warms up together, and then divisions begin as people split up into groups. There is at least one boy and girl of each part for every group. Everyone is given the same song to learn and sing together.

Working well in a group is clearly an important part of the process. Aspiring madrigals have to be able "to get along with others and be comfortable with yourself,” said sophomore Zack Goldberg, a tenor.

Possibly the most daunting part of the audition is that the song must be sung a capella for a better idea of what the voices sound like by themselves. Every year the music selection is different, and Murphy tries his best to choose a piece that no one knows. The point of the audition is to see how well students can sing music the first time they see it, as well as to test their singing ability.

Then comes the solo. The “final elimination” of the audition is when everyone is required to sing the same excerpt from the practiced piece. After that, everybody gets ready to leave, offering opinions and predictions, the mood significantly more tense than when everyone came in.

By the next day, Murphy has usually made his decisions. Interestingly, it is a tradition that the list doesn’t go up on the fine arts bulletin board in the first-floor hallway until the end of the week. However, that doesn’t stop all of the hopefuls from dutifully passing by the board every chance they get.

THE REWARDS

Once the list is up, practices can begin. They are not very regulated but loose and planned flexibly to get the largest number of participants to come. The students rehearse one or two times a week.

As the holiday season arrives, the pace quickens as performances take place every few days leading up to winter break. Despite this high demand on the students' time, Murphy arranges all of their events so that everyone can enjoy an uninterrupted, relaxing break from school.

So why do students who are already overloaded and overscheduled take part in such a demanding extracurricular?

"Because I like to sing [and] I really enjoy getting to know the people in madrigals," said junior Daniel Borup, who sings bass. "Also, it's fun to get lots of free food and treats after we sing."

Borup is one of two madrigals who were named this year to the Illinois Music Educators Association's all-state honors chorus. Senior Ethan Berl, a tenor, is Uni's other all-state singer.

In short, madrigals is a place where the vocally gifted at Uni can enjoy doing what they do best.

"I like madrigals because I get to sing as part of a group!" Gao said. "We sang mixed at the Parkland taping, and everything sounds really awesome that way — you really get to hear how the different voices and parts blend together."

And even the hectic schedule is bearable. As Gao put it, "Right now, since it's the holiday season, we've got performances maybe every other day, but it should slow down soon."

As they wait for some of that downtime, this year's 17 singers continue to put their mark on a Uni tradition. Meet the 2007-08 Uni High Madrigals:

• Sopranos: sophomore Katie Buzard, senior Anna Cangellaris, senior Michelle Gao, senior Rachel Hurley, sophomore Elizabeth Russell
• Altos: junior Sheri Grill, junior Sarah Lake-Rayburn, senior Jennifer Roloff, senior Linda Song
• Tenors: senior Ethan Berl, sophomore Jared Doyle, sophomore Zack Goldberg, freshman Alex Gruebele
• Basses: junior Daniel Borup, senior Grant Loos, senior Ethan Stone, junior Miguel (Teddy) Zamora-Mills

[Note: This article was updated on Dec. 21 to include the air times of the WCIA/WCFN holiday TV special.]