Cranford High School’s premier choral ensemble, the Madrigal Choir, has long enjoyed a December jam-packed with caroling performances around Cranford and other surrounding towns. A hot commodity, the Madrigal Choir carols for many audiences, ranging from festive church groups to patrons of the prestigious Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, NJ. The ensemble performs a varying repertoire of Christmas and Hanukkah songs each year, and a commonly asked question persists from audiences: “Where is the album?”
With this being his twentieth year teaching at the high school, CHS’ choir director, Mr. Anthony Rafaniello, has finally caved to audiences. By popular demand, Rafaniello is calling in any and all current and past Madrigal Choir members to record an album of the group’s most popular carols!
From December 27-29, current members and Madrigal alumni will gather at Trinity Church in Cranford to record. Rafaniello expects representation ranging from the class of 2006 to the class of 2026. With many members so far removed from their time in the choir, it is rational to expect a steep learning curve. Thus, Rafaniello has generously created tracks of each song’s different voice parts to aid alumni. However, the Madrigals are confident that they won’t need it. El Dillon, a phenomenal Madrigal Soprano from the Class of 2024, said, “Everything you learn in Madrigals sticks with you for life. The music I learned with [Rafaniello] gets stuck in my head even today.”
The community is certainly excited; Rafaniello’s mid-performance advertisements for the album have been met with murmurs of anticipation. However, noone is more thrilled than the Madrigals themselves, with 50+ alumni already signed up to participate! As evidenced by the number of alumni returning, many cherished their time in Mr. Rafaniello’s Madrigal Choir.
In 2025, be on the lookout for the Madrigal album. Rafaniello hopes to make the recording available via streaming services and other sources of media. This storied recording is sure to brighten your holiday!
