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About

The Northeastern University Madrigal Singers were founded in 2013 by Elijah Botkin to give students an opportunity to explore the rich world of small-ensemble choral music. He missed the experience of making music in a small chamber chorus in high school, so he established the Madrigal Singers as a student-run ensemble dedicated to performing choral music from the Renaissance to the present day.

More than a decade later, the Madrigals have become a community of musicians who share not only a love of singing, but also a sense of ownership over their ensemble. Members take an active role in shaping the group’s repertoire, activities, and traditions while Elijah guides its musical development.

We rehearse twice a week and hold auditions every semester. We perform at least one concert each semester, along with a variety of other gigs. If you’re interested in having us at your next event, let us know and we would be happy to join you!

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Elijah Botkin

Founder & Music Director

Elijah Botkin

Elijah Botkin is a Boston-based conductor, arranger, choral educator, and performer. He serves as Music Director of Revels, where he develops and directs music for theatrical productions and programs celebrating cultural traditions from around the world, including the annual Midwinter Revels at Harvard’s Sanders Theatre. He is also Assistant Conductor of the Zamir Chorale of Boston and previously served as Spring Artistic Director of the Reading Community Singers. As a singer, he has performed with the Nightingale Vocal Ensemble, Carduus, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

A 2015 graduate of Northeastern University, Elijah earned bachelor’s degrees in Music History & Analysis and Mathematics. During his undergraduate years, he served as President and Assistant Conductor of the NU Choral Society, and sang with and arranged for the award-winning a cappella group Distilled Harmony. His arrangements received honors from the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella and the Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards. He also received the Gideon Klein Award in 2014 for his composition The Closed Town, premiered by the Northeastern University Chamber Choir.

One of the great joys of Elijah’s work with the Madrigals has been watching each new generation of singers make the ensemble their own. While the people, repertoire, and traditions have evolved over the years, the spirit of the group has remained much the same: a shared love of music, a willingness to explore and learn together, and friendships that last long after graduation.