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Welcome to the official homepage of the Elizabethan Madrigal Singers–more affectionately known as “Mads.” Formed in 1950, Mads remains Aberystwyth University’s longest running society. Since its infancy, this auditioned group has become the university’s prime chamber choir, boasting of a rather prestigious and extensive history. Each year, hundreds of ex-Mads organize a reunion event taking place in Aberystwyth, inviting the current choir along for a weekend of choral workshops and classes.
Meet The 2024-2025 Committee!
President – Henry Howe
“Hello there! My name is Henry (he/him) and I am the President this year. I am currently in my final year of studying Computer Science. I have recently got back from a year abroad in Australia, where I sang in both a Cathedral Choir and an A Capella Choir! (Quite the contrast!) I was assistant conductor of the MADs in my second year, and loved the challenge! I am looking forward to the upcoming year, and cannot wait to meet you all for some amazing Madrigals!“
Vice President – Percy Hill
“Hello there! I’m Percival Hill (he/him), Vice President of the MADs. I study Filmmaking, which is totally a degree 🙂 I’ve taken part in choirs since I was 13, and have sung in pretty buildings up and down the country. I have a grade five singing as well. My favourite thing about the MADs are the rehearsals, spending a couple hours with a bunch of fun people twice a week!”
Conductor – Lora Reinfeldt
“Hello! My name is Lora Reinfeldt and I am honoured to be the current conductor of the Mads! I’m a second year studying Marketing and Business Management, but music has been my greatest passion and joy since before I could remember. I’ve been involved in various choirs, musical theater productions, and solo vocal performance for most of my life. It’s been such a privilege to pass on and share my love and knowledge of music this year with the Mads. I’m so proud of our choir’s growth, talent, and strong community bond, and would love to welcome you to the Mads to join us in singing our wide-ranging repertoire and enjoying the everlasting friendships that being in our choir creates!”
Assistant Conductor – Anna Pennington
“Hi, I’m Anna (she/her). I’m the MADs Assistant Conductor for 2024-25 and this year I am starting my PhD in Human Geography. My love for music began from an early age singing in a variety of choirs and learning to play the trumpet. I have been a student at Aberystwyth since 2019. In that time, in addition to singing in the MADs, I have held a Music Scholarship and been part of Aberystwyth Choral Society, Aberystwyth University Wind Band and Aberystwyth’s ‘town and gown’ orchestra called Philomusica. I’ve made lifelong friends in the MADs and I’m really looking forward to another year of music making!”
Treasurer – Emily Pomeroy
“Hey, I’m Em (she/her), a 2nd year PhD in International Politics and super happy to be this year’s treasurer! I grew up surrounded by music and have enjoyed nearly 15 years of voice lessons and membership in various choirs. I was vice-president and treasurer of the University of Ottowa Glee Club from 2018-2019. I joined the MADs the first week I arrived in Aberystwyth and haven’t looked back. Since then, MADS has been the joy of my week, and is a supportive and wonderful environment to grow and play – come sing with us!”
Social Secretary – Martha Ward Figuera
“Hello, I’m Martha (she/her) and I’m this year’s social secretary! I’m going into my third year studying Maths and Drama joint honours. I have been singing for as long as I remember and I have been in the MADs for the whole of my university experience (joining in 2022). I absolutely adore the MADs, we are such a tight-knit community and I love creating socials for all of us to bond in.”
Wellbeing Officer – Cole Meade
“I’m Cole (he/him), a third year Fine Art student! I’ve been signing for eight years, and have been involved in choirs for just as long. I have been in the MADs for one year, and have thoroughly enjoyed my time with the choir! As health and wellbeing officer I hope to provide a friendly face to talk to within the choir, especially with my own experiences as a queer and neurodivergent person :)!”
The Mads are the student-led Chamber Choir at Aberystwyth University. The Mads performs from a vast collection of repertoire, ranging from sacred pieces to folk music, as well as the madrigals you might expect. Alongside singing in and around the town of Aberystwyth, Mads aim to go on tour every summer to locations all over the UK and beyond (Northern Ireland 2024, North Wales 2025).
- Our Mission:
- The Elizabethan Madrigal Singers shares our passion for choral music with the Aberystwyth community and surrounding region through performances that exemplify music’s unique power to touch the human heart and mind.
- As a small chamber choir ensemble, we offer outstanding performances of diverse repertoire reaching across genres, time periods, and cultures–specializing in early Renaissance madrigals–and bringing to varied audiences a deeper understanding and broader appreciation for choral music.
- Vision:
The Mads will be recognized as Aberystwyth’s premiere chamber choral ensemble. We will be valued for our commitment to enriching the cultural landscape of Aberystwyth and the surrounding area, our connectedness to the Aberystwyth community, and our dedication to innovative collaboration with artists or other musical groups to bring unique and varied musical experiences to our community.
- Values:
- Musical Excellence–We strive to engage in performances of exceptional quality across a broad spectrum of musical periods. We value excellent musicianship that includes interpretation of the text, context of the music, and intent of the music to convey emotion as well as technical skill.
- Connectedness–In order to create a unique shared musical experience from which every participant benefits, we value connecting with each other, our collaborators, our audiences, and the broader community.
- Passion–Our passion for musical expression starts with each other during the process of concert preparation, and we strive to communicate that experience and energy to our audiences during performances. We want to reach, inspire, and engage our audiences through exploration of a wide range of emotions and musical histories. We want our audiences to feel entertained, moved, exhilarated, and impressed.
- Legacy–We contribute to the enduring legacy of choral music for current and future generations and promote appreciation of choral music as a distinct art form. And lastly, we hope to put the Old College on the map once again for university students to love, participate in, and appreciate as a musical hub in the small coastal town of Aberystwyth.