Good Choirs, Good Competitions Headline Illinois' 2026 Show Choir Storylines

By Dylan Moss, Illinois contributor, and Ethan Parker, Founder

The 2025 season was an incredibly chaotic one for the state of Illinois, and it was a season full of highlights as well. Illinois’ #1 ranked choir, Wheaton Warrenville South, took on a new identity as one of the nation's vocal powerhouses, as they won the caption at four competitions over bona fide contenders all across the nation, and netted two wins while they were at it. Wheaton North continued to be a standard-setter, as they netted three wins, and El Paso-Gridley proved a visual force wherever they went, as they won six Best Choreography captions in a row. That’s not to mention upstart Dwight D. Eisenhower’s shock win over EPG at Crete, putting the nation on notice to them. However, it wasn’t all bright, as mainstay Mt. Zion suffered an uncharacteristic down season, which culminated in director Erik Taylor leaving the program.

The 2026 season is shaping up to be another crazy and competitive season in Illinois, and there's a lot of change and turbulence to go with it. Wheaton Warrenville South, Wheaton North, and EPG retain their creative teams, and will look to take their 2025 successes forward in the new year, while choirs like Mt. Zion will look to rebuild under new leadership. Groups like Glenwood and Waubonsie Valley have brought their numbers back up after the pandemic, and have settled into new creative teams, as they will look to make some waves this year. In the small mixed division, mainstays Sullivan, Danville, and Crete-Monee will look to maintain competitiveness even with some turbulence for the latter two, and former large mixed ensembles like Batavia will look to establish a firm competitive identity in small mixed. In some of the more unfortunate news entering the season, Peoria Soundwave will not be competing this season, and longtime Illinois mainstay Pekin will have their retirement tour this year, as the program will end after 2026.

What’s Changed?

• The Mt. Zion show choir program has a new leader at the helm. Christina Cawthon has been elected as the seventh head director in the program's near 50-year history. She is taking over for Erik Taylor, who departed from the program after three seasons.

• The Danville show choir program hired on alumnus and first-year director Karrin Estes. This comes following Jeff Thomas’ sudden departure from the program after eight seasons.

• Crete-Monee made a change in choreography. Bradley Davis will be taking over the visual duties for the Cavaliers. He takes over for Sam Mulligan, who spent seven years with the program. 

• El Paso-Gridley Hi Fidelity trades in Grace Pacheco for Sarah Moore to star alongside Michael Talamonti as their choreographers for the 2026 season.

• The Glenwood show choir program added Matt Watson to their choreography team with Ben Eklund. They also added former South Jones, Sullivan, and Albertville director Chris Wilson to head their middle school choirs as well as do arrangements.

Who’s on the rise?

• The Sullivan Singers have taken control over Illinois’ small mixed division in the first couple years of Heather Pistorius’ tenure, winning loaded divisions last season at El Paso-Gridley and Quincy, as well as placing second at Lafayette Jefferson over lots of strong Indiana talent as well as fellow Illinois group Danville. Singers are slated to compete entirely in Illinois this season, as they look to keep their throne at the top of Illinois small mixed, as well as get some licks in against larger programs at Naperville North and Wheaton Warrenville South.

• Director Ben Dombroski has been quietly turning around the Quincy Electric Blue program during his tenure, as while they didn't make finals last season at loaded El Paso and Glenwood competitions, their show was a marked improvement over anything to have come out of the program before. The program now shows a lot of potential, and will take their show back to El Paso, as well as to comps at Central Lee and Fort Madison in Iowa. Look for Electric Blue to factor into the finals conversation at the latter two.

• Herscher Class Act is a choir that has been on the rise for quite some time now. The 2024 season was dominated by third-place finishes in small mixed, and 2025 went one step further with multiple second-place finishes. Does 2026 have their first division win since 2023 in the cards? With Kyle Schrage entering his eighth year at the helm, Class Act has shown they can compete in the everchanging Illinois tier 2. One thing is for sure… that band of theirs will be kickin'.

Who has something to prove?

• Wheaton North Flight has been a standard of excellence in the world of show choir for many years. Having won at least two competitions every season since 2022 against high-caliber national groups, they are no stranger to being battle tested. This season, however, is a big step up from last, they will see Carmel (IN), Center Grove (IN), Franklin Central (IN), Gretna (NE), John Burroughs (CA), Cosby (VA), Brandon (MS), Carroll (IN) and a sleuth of Illinois choirs who have had their own success in recent times. The question is, 'can Flight stay consistent performing at the highest level all season long?' There is no question that they can continue their success, but if they can maximize their opportunities, they can make some serious noise on the national level. 

• On the eastern Illinois border, there is a choir who was battling for the top spot in Illinois small mixed all season long last year. Now with a new director leading them into the season, can they stay at the top of the game? Danville Delegation never backs down from competition from their home state or on the other side of the Illinois border, but with first-year director Karrin Estes, how they stacked up remains to be seen. Starting their season at a stacked Southmont division on Feb. 7 will be a great first test for Delegation to show where they stand.

• Dwight D. Eisenhower Express has been a choir who snuck under the radar despite being a force in both mixed divisions for years. Last season was a very successful season that witnessed them earn their third overall Grand Championship in their history (and the first since 2004). Having already performed at Milton this season, where they were unable to reach finals, this is a choir that needs to prove they can be a consistent finals force. But hey, if any choir knows – it's not how you start, it’s how you finish – it’s Dwight D. Eisenhower Express.

What competitions are looking good?

• Feb 7: The Crete-Monee Spectacular is Illinois’ debut event again this season, and is also where most of the state’s smaller schools get their first licks. Schools such as Sullivan, Peotone and Pekin make up most of the smaller school division, joined by larger schools such as Manteno, Oswego, and Wheaton Warrenville South, as well as Mundelein’s first appearance in-state since Glenwood 2022.

• Feb 21: The El Paso-Gridley Showdown was a major event last season, and looks to be a throwdown again this year. The small mixed division is loaded to the brim yet again with usual headliners like Sullivan and Crete-Monee, as well as lesser-seen groups like Carmel Catholic. The large mixed division looks to be just as intense, with groups such as Manteno, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Mt. Zion, as well as out-of-state powers like Sparta from Wisconsin and Troy Buchanan from Missouri.

• Feb 28: Last season the Mt. Zion Midwest Invitational was the meeting place for many out-of-state groups, becoming one of the best national competitions of the season. This season the lineup seems to be a tad more regional with more Illinois groups in attendance, possibly becoming a statement competition for those in the Land of Lincoln. In-state choirs slated to go are Glenwood, Peoria, Peotone, Wheaton North, and Naperville North. They will get the opportunity to ‘defend their turf’ against out-of-state powers Center Grove, Troy Buchanan, and Carroll.

• Mar 7: Glenwood The Event will be a marquee competition in the state of Illinois, and that’s not just because Clinton Attaché will be in attendance. A healthy battle in the small mixed division between Springfield, Crete-Monee, Sullivan, and Pekin will be very telling of that scene in Illinois this year. The Mt. Zion Swingsations will be the only large mixed choir from Illinois, they will be tasked with trying to take down Attaché’s historic winning streak.

• Mar 14: Wheaton Warrenville South Choral Classic once again is a trailblazing competition in the show choir landscape. Illinois will be sending El Paso-Gridley, Mt. Zion, John Hersey, Sullivan, Waubonsie Valley, and Wheaton North to battle it out with this year’s California challenger John Burroughs, Indiana’s Franklin Community, and Nebraska’s Omaha South.