The Fort Atkinson High School South High Street Singers Show Choir competed in its first-ever virtual show choir competition on March 13 and will advance to the championship round slated for April 10.
The group competed against schools from Mississippi, Alabama, Ohio, Indiana, and Wisconsin, winning Grand Champion and earning a place in the finals, according to information recently released by the Fort Atkinson High School.
Hosted by showchoirlive.com, the virtual competition experience featured groups of all sizes from across the county. The platform was designed to provide an opportunity for middle school and high school performance groups to perform and compete safely due to the COVID-19 global health pandemic. This and other virtual competitions have helped show choirs remain active and viable by embracing technology, the release stated.
Participating show choirs from across the United States each compete once during their three-week competition.
At each of the preliminary round competitions, choirs perform their show live. A live feed of the show is broadcast to a panel of judges and an audience on the showchoirlive.com website. After the performance, the panel of three adjudicators scored the groups based on several criteria, including intonation, choreography, diction, show design, and more. Judges’ scores are combined to form a composite score which is then ranked against the rest of the groups by class.
The competition was divided into three separate classes: Small Single-Gender class, Small Mixed-Gender class, and Large Mixed-Gender class.
The South High Street Singers competed in the Large Mixed Gender class. After the three preliminary rounds, all groups’ scores were ranked, and the top scores in each category moved to the Championship Round, which will be held on April 10.
For their March 13 performance, the South High Street Singers’ total score was 289 out of 360 total possible points, placing them in a second-place position and has secured them a slot in the Championship Round.
In addition to their Grand Champion win, the South High Street Singers were also recognized for best vocals (large group division) and best choreography. Gwen Hirtz (Grade 12) and Jackson Sitkiewitz (Grade 10) also were recognized with the competition’s Limelight Award for their best solo performances across all groups.
This past week’s successful performance is attributed to the hard work from students, directors, and parent volunteers alike, the release stated.
Singer/Dancers, band members, and student technicians maintained a rigorous rehearsal schedule for the week preceding the competition. Daily rehearsals focused on choreography accuracy, vocal intonation, and coordinated movement. Consisting of five student technical crew members, 24 women, 14 men, 13 band members, and three directors, the group dedicated time both inside and outside of rehearsal to come together to make this incredible show, the release continued.
Due to the pandemic, a significant portion of this year’s show was taught to the students while they were attending school in a virtual setting. The fact that these students have been able to pick up the choreography, music, and all the show components so successfully from a computer screen speaks volumes to the dedication of all those involved with the show.
A link for live-stream viewing of the Championship Round will be published on Fort Atkinson High School Theater social media platforms once available, according to the release.
Several photos showing the South High Street Singers Show Choir performing follow. Photos supplied.
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