Editor’s note: Fort Atkinson Online was invited to watch the Fort Atkinson High School South High Street Stingers show choir perform Friday during a final rehearsal before a championship competition which will be held tonight. A short story and 29 photos follow. A larger story about the group, their experience during the competition, and the path they took to form as a choir during a pandemic will follow.
The Fort Atkinson South High Street Singers, a grades 9-12 show choir, will be performing today in the “Championship Round” of a first-ever, virtual show choir competition.
Hosted by ShowChoirLive.com, the Fort Atkinson performers advanced to the finals, winning the distinction of “Grand Champion,” in their size category after competing against schools from several states, including Mississippi, Alabama, Ohio, Indiana and Wisconsin, in an earlier competition held in March.
The platform was designed to provide an opportunity for middle and high school performance groups to perform safely due to the COVID-19 global health pandemic, according to information released earlier by the School District of Fort Atkinson.
On Friday, the 38-member choir practiced on stage at the high school and performed for friends and family.
The group will perform Saturday night, and the performance will be live-streamed. Choirs will perform beginning at 6 p.m., and the Fort Atkinson group is expected to perform around 8:30 p.m.
In a telephone interview Friday, high school music teacher and choral director Craig Engstrom said the group is confident and ready to perform.
Photos of the Friday night rehearsal follow. A full story about the group, how it places on Saturday, and what it was like to build a choir during a pandemic will follow at a later date.
ForAtkinsonOnline.com wishes the choir and all its support teams and teachers the best of luck in tonight’s competition.
To watch the performance, use this link: https://buff.ly/2PKdnYQ.
Standing in the foreground during rehearsal with outstretched arms is Fort Atkinson High School South High Street Singers show choir performer and high school senior Elly Scheuerell.
Thirty-eight members of the Fort Atkinson High School South High Street Singers show choir perform during a dress rehearsal held Friday night.
Show choir performers Peter Velazquez and Elly Scheuerell, both seniors, sing during Friday night’s rehearsal.
High school junior Jayden Hawkins dances during Friday night’s rehearsal.
Show choir performer Sophia Guttenberg, junior, sings and dances.
The view from the band pit located behind the stage.
A Fort Atkinson High School trumpet player performs from the band pit behind the stage.
Fort Atkinson High School band members warm up before the rehearsal.
Stage crew member Grace Gustin waits off stage to hand a performer a prop.
Tech crew member Hailey Paske, senior, operates a board controlling stage lights.
Fort Atkinson High School music teacher and choral director Craig Engstrom oversees the rehearsal.
Choral Director Craig Engstrom, left, and stage manager and technician John Collins take a breather between Friday’s rehearsal and a show for performers’ parents which followed.
Band members assemble before the rehearsal.
Show choir performer Ava Kleman, senior, sings during rehearsal.
Sophia Guttenberg, junior, pictured in the foreground, performs during the show choir’s Friday night rehearsal.
Show choir performers dance during rehearsal.
Stage manager and technician John Collins, far right, makes a video as the choir performs during a rehearsal held Friday night.
Seniors, Lewis Luciano, from left, and Gwen Hirtz sing and dance during rehearsal.
Saxophones are played from the band pit.
Sound board operator Alexsandria Olvera-Lara works from the back of the high school theater.
Performers stand, bathed in blue light, between songs.
A view of the stage from a technician’s perspective.
Seniors Silvester Velazquez, from left, and Mariah Eichenberg sing during rehearsal.
Senior Cam Grady, at right, performs during rehearsal.
Singing from a seated position is high school junior Matthew Sell.
Cole McDonald, junior, takes center stage as he dances with a prop.
High school senior Lauren Haas, front, left, dances during rehearsal.
High school music teacher and choral director Craig Engstrom offers final words of inspiration before the group performs one last time, exclusively for friends and family, before Saturday’s competition. The performance, given in-person, was held Friday and attended by about 50 people.
Singers and dancers applaud the performers in the band after their final rehearsal.
Kim McDarison photos.
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