Jan. 27 Ohio Show Choir Preview

This weekend is shaping up to be a big one for Ohio show choir, as FOUR competitions attract major Ohio groups. Read on to learn about these competitions, see who’s going, and learn all that you need to know to be prepared for this weekend’s matchups. 

Findlay FEst  

Large Mixed - Perrysburg “The Swarm,” Beavercreek “Friends,” Solon “Music In Motion,” Grove City “Touch of Class,” Piqua “The Company” 

Small Mixed - Jonathan Alder “High Society,” Lebanon “Singers,” Grosse Pointe South “Pointe Singers,” Twinsburg “Great Expectations,” Ada “Varsity Singers” 

Prep Division - Grosse Pointe South “South Singers,” Grove City “Class Act” 

The marquee showdown at this competition is a rematch of the top two from the Ada Music Feast back in November, with Solon and Beavercreek thrown in for good measure. Grove City took home the gold at Ada back in November, but with well over two months having passed since then, it’s entirely possible that Piqua has improved their show enough to win here. It’s also possible Beavercreek or Solon take the win - those groups could be the top four in really any order. A group to watch is Perrysburg, who made their triumphant return to competitive show choir last year with a second-place finish at Norwell, and look to start their 2024 season with a good placement. 

In small mixed, Jonathan Alder enters riding high after their second place finish in their division at Beavercreek, but they’ll have stiff competition here. Ohio stalwarts Lebanon and Ada will look to take home podium placements in the division, as will Twinsburg, who went from being at the top of the pack in Ohio to competing in the small mixed division at this competition. They’re joined by Grosse Pointe South, one of the only active show choir programs in Michigan, who have recently switched to competing in small mixed. The only other division features a showdown between GPS’ prep group and Grove City’s womens’ group, which should be interesting. 

North Royalton Showdown  

Large Mixed - Medina “Encore Entertainment Company,” Teays Valley “Prominent Rendition,” Herbert Hoover “High Impact,” Garfield Heights “Music Express,” Strongsville “Mustang Express” 

Smaller Mixed - Walsh Jesuit “Harmony Gold,” Sheridan “Northern Stars,” River Valley “Music Company” 

Womens Division - Teays Valley “Glamorous Edition,” River Valley “New Addition” 

Middle School - River Valley “Revolution” 

The inaugural North Royalton Showdown brings in a variety of smaller Ohio groups, mostly from Northeast Ohio. The only one of these groups that has competed so far is Teays Valley, whose mixed group placed 4th in small mixed at Beavercreek. Still, this competition sees a variety of exciting small mixed debuts, including Walsh Jesuit’s debut under the direction of Vince Matia and the debut of River Valley’s new womens’ group “New Addition.” In addition, Medina, Garfield Heights, and Herbert Hoover (joining the competition from West Virginia) are all highly successful small groups, and their debuts should also be exciting to see. All in all, this competition looks to be an exciting start to the season for a variety of Ohio small groups. 

Northrop Classique  

Mixed Division - Crestview “Knight Vision,” Garrett “Encore,” Austin “Dimensions,” Columbia City “City Heat,” Marion Harding “Harding Singers,” ETC “All Americans,” Loveland “By Request,” Hurricane “Red Hot” 

Single Gender Division - South Side “Leading Era,” Columbia City “City Lights,” Marion Harding “Singers Xtreme,” Loveland “Allure,” ETC “Rouge,” Hurricane “Heat Wave” 

Middle School Division - Shawnee “Sound Explosion,” Northwood “Wave of Youth,” Carroll “Electric Charge,” Maple Creek “MC Singers,” Loveland “Revolution” 

This competition features a rematch of three of the top four groups from Beavercreek two weeks ago, but this time competing in Fort Wayne, Indiana. At Beavercreek, Loveland came out on top over Hurricane and Marion Harding, but that was two weeks ago, and any number of things can have changed since then. Joining the fray is ETC making their 2024 debut. ETC has been known to beat good groups in the past, so look for them to make a good showing at this competition. Also in the mixed division, Crestview will be looking to rebound after their third place finish in small mixed at Anderson last weekend, going up against Indiana small mixed groups Garrett, Austin, and Columbia City, making both small and large mixed competitions to watch. 

The Single-Gender Division also features a rematch of Beavercreek, with Loveland’s and Hurricane’s womens’ groups as well as Marion Harding’s mens’ group. They are joined by ETC’s womens’ group Rouge, one of the best single gender groups in Ohio, making their season debut. They will be joined by small Indiana womens’ groups South Side Leading Era and Columbia City City Lights, making for an exciting competition in single-gender. In the Middle School Division, Loveland “Revolution” will be going up against Indiana groups like Maple Creek and Carroll, and it should be interesting to see how that plays out. 

Winfield Emerald Classic  

Competing Groups - Marysville “Swingers Unlimited,” Olentangy “Keynotes,” Olentangy “She-Notes,” Ripley “Phoenix Blue,” Ross “Legacy,” Ross “Next Generation,” Poca “Visual Volume,” Sissonville “Touch of Class,” Nitro “Showcats,” Bunsold “Mini Swingers,” Riverside “Melodic Fusion,” St. Clairsville “St. C Singers,” Portsmouth “Expressions,” Doddridge County “Bel Canto Bulldogs,” Edgewood “Choraliers,” Huntington “Illusions,” Cabell Midland “Rhythm in Red,” Nitro “Tomcats” 

Though division splits haven’t yet been released for this competition, it looks to be very competitive across all divisions. Marysville, one of the top groups in Ohio, will be making their 2024 debut at this competition, where they will be going up against Ross, a group which is making its debut under the direction of Hallie Thompson, and Olentangy, a rising star in Ohio show choir. Some of the best West Virginia small groups, including Nitro, Poca, and Sissonville, will be going up against top Ohio small groups St. Clairsville and Edgewood, making small mixed a competition to watch as well. 

The only single gender groups at this competition are Olentangy’s womens group, which has seen success throughout Ohio and West Virginia, Cabell Midland, and Nitro’s new mens group, the Tomcats. It’s always exciting to see new groups debut, particularly mens groups, which still remain uncommon in the Midwest. Speaking of new groups, Ripley Phoenix Blue will be making its triumphant return to the show choir scene after being dormant since 2004, making this competition the site of two exciting debuts. Rounding out the competition in the middle school division is an exciting showdown between Ross and Bunsold, two of the top middle school groups in Ohio. 

These four competitions are sure to make exciting viewing for any Ohio show choir fan! Make sure to follow HomeRoom Show Choir for coverage of these competitions, as well as competitions happening across the nation throughout the season.