Marc Day MCS '99
Marc Day began his music education at The Madeleine Choir School as a sixth grader in its founding year, 1996.
“From the beginning, the formation of the Choir School was against the odds,” he recalls.
While studying at the Choir School, he performed two roles with the San Francisco Opera featuring Frederica von Stade and David Daniels.
“It is incredible to know that the school is growing and thriving twenty years later. I am eternally grateful for what I learned at the Choir School.”
Currently, Day serves in the professional choir at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, under the direction of Maestro Kent Tritle. He enjoys performing regularly with the following highly revered choral and music ensembles: Musica Sacra, Clarion Society, Voices of Ascension, Choir of St. Ignatius Loyola, American Classical Orchestra, NY Philharmonic and other prominent choral ensembles within the greater New York City Metropolitan area.
“The Choir School curriculum demanded a lot,” Day reminisces. “Looking back, the classes I had were more difficult than several classes I had in college. What I learned at MCS I still have with me and use today. We were taught how to be ready in all situations.”
Day earned a Bachelor’s of Music from the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana. While at U of I, he performed the title role in Bernstein’s Candide with the late Jerry Hadley performing the role of Pangloss. In addition to Candide, he performed the roles of Goro, Gastone, Paco (Manuel de Falla’s La Vida Breve), First Rock Singer (Bernstein’s Mass), as well as roles in The Coronation of Poppea and Purcell’s The Fairy Queen.
He also earned a Master’s in Music from Manhattan School of Music and performed the role of Tony from West Side Story with the school’s Opera Theatre Program of Scenes production.
Day credits the foundation he built at the Choir School as being much more than music. “The teachers at MCS treated the students with an empowering level of responsibility. Mrs. May, Mrs. Morowski and Principal Hunt all demanded a lot of us.“
Today, we celebrate his extensive resume of performances spanning from coast to coast and eagerly await his next role.
