By Elizabeth Reichert
University Relations student writer

How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, the old joke says. That is exactly what Dr. Jeffrey Madison, baritone and senior lecturer in voice at the University of Wisconsin-Superior, has done and continues to do.

Madison will make his solo debut at New York City's famous concert hall on Oct. 27 when per performs Nielson's "Symphony No. 3" with the Minnesota Orchestra. He's preparing for his performance in the "typical way" - getting the music and practicing it all the time.

"If you only have a couple minutes of music, you certainly don't want to be unprepared," he said.

Madison will sing during the second movement of the symphony. The piece is a Scandinavian romantic symphony with a traditional type of repertoire. Madison's voice as well as the soprano's are treated as instruments of the orchestra during the piece, as they sing a musical theme without words.           

When Madison learned that he would be performing in the symphony, he was "very, very excited." He said the Minnesota Orchestra is one of the leading orchestras in the country.

"The ability to travel with them, to sing at Carnegie Hall, is too good to pass up," he said.

"It's not too big of a thing, not a prominent piece, but to stand there with the orchestra and sing, just a couple minutes with a solo, is very exciting," he added. "Something like this may or may not come around again."

Madison has performed with the Minnesota Orchestra numerous times and expects a similar experience in October. 

"It's by far the finest orchestra I've ever had the pleasure the sing with. The players are really top-notch," he said. "It's all around quite a wonderful experience."