Center Grove, Zionsville and North Central Set to Square Off at Pike
- 6 hours ago
- 6 min read
By Will Kaiser, Indiana Contributor
This year, Pike MusicFest once again will be a marquee event on what will be a packed day for Indiana show choirs. This is no surprise, as the event has hosted a consistently competitive field throughout its over quarter-century on the Indy show choir calendar. The competition includes seven groups who have divisional grand championships this year, and this level of competition should provide plenty of entertainment for those who pull up to the Pike auditorium this Saturday.
Mixed Groups
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Center Grove Sound System | 1st-ranked mixed group in Indiana
Following two undefeated seasons, Center Grove (CG) has another set that's the class of the Indy field. Sound System has already secured two Grand Championships, sweeping the field at Olentangy and Fishers. Pike will be their toughest test yet for CG, serving as a solid early-season litmus test for how the group will fare in their second trip to Show Choir Nationals in three years, which they won in 2024. This group is a must-watch at the end of the night, as a second year of Sound System's return to France will be a show you can't miss.
Zionsville Royalaires | 3rd-ranked mixed group in Indiana
Zionsville is the biggest wildcard at play in this competition, as they have yet to compete this season. If one took a look directly at Zionsville's results from last year, they would likely be convinced it was a down year for this prestigious program with no grand championships to speak of; however, the eye test said it was one of the strongest sets the group has put on the stage since the pandemic. Royalaires also snagged Best Vocals from Sound System at Fairfield, the only group to take that honor from CG since Pike MusicFest in 2023. Zionsville should make this a dead heat between them, Center Grove, and North Central.
North Central Counterpoints | 5th-ranked mixed group in Indiana
North Central appears to have found a new class of form in 2026. The group delivered a resounding win at Southmont with Best Vocals, solidifying their ability to win week in and week out, especially early in the season. This will be a solid test of how they can fare at Nationals against other top groups before another major test at Center Grove Best of the Midwest. The Counterpoints have already matched their number of grand championships from last season under second-year director Jared McElroy and are looking to take the next step here. NC is not shy from contending with top-tier groups, taking the choreography caption from Carmel at Lafayette Jefferson in 2024.
Whiteland Rhythm Masters | 5th-ranked small mixed group in Indiana
Whiteland won this competition a year ago in the small mixed division and will look to be competitive again after already securing a Grand Championship at Batesville and a small mixed win at Carroll. They secured a solid result with extremely clean choreography to start the season. The show also features an extremely talented soloist who will help bring it to the front of any pack with solos throughout. This leaves the group in solid form to compete for a finals spot this week.
Mooresville Spotlighters
Mooresville delivered a commanding performance at Southmont this past weekend, securing both the vocal and visual awards in a highly competitive small division. This achievement is particularly notable, as the group faced formidable opponents, reflecting a marked improvement from their performances in the previous season. Much of this progress can be attributed to their experience competing against top-tier large groups within the Indianapolis region, which has likely honed their competitive edge and stage presence. In addition to their main ensemble, Mooresville will present their prep group at Pike, providing insight into both the current depth of talent and the program's future potential.
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Edgewood Music Warehouse
Edgewood will compete for the second time in 2026 this weekend at Pike and will look to reach the finals in another tough field. They will get another opportunity to take on Mooresville and find their way to the front of the pack by the end of the season. A perennial contender in the small mixed scene, Music Warehouse can never be counted out from making things interesting.
Shelbyville Synergy
Shelbyville is attempting to face some of the larger groups around this weekend as they come to the center of Indianapolis for this storied competition. The group has been growing over the past several seasons, competing many times against often-larger groups. They make their debut this year at Pike and hope that stellar choreography will deliver solid results this week.
Brown County Rhapsody
Despite Brown County limiting the number of competitions per year to a few, they consistently impress with detailed story shows. They make their debut this week along with several other groups. There is very little indication of where the results will end up in this stacked competition.
Kokomo Karisma Singers
Kokomo is starting their 2026 season at Pike, indicating that they will probably follow a similar slate of ISSMA-sanctioned appearances like they did in 2025. Karisma Singers made the ISSMA Large School State Finals in 2025 and will be looking to use their MusicFest performance to get a solid baseline score to improve upon later in the season.
Single-Gender Groups
Center Grove Debtones | 1st-ranked single-gender group in Indy
Debtones have made the transition from choreographer Andy Haines to April James without losing a step. They swept at both Olentangy and Fishers, an expected outcome, and they will likely be difficult to beat going into their third competition. They will face their biggest competition in Zionsville and North Central, and the community will begin to see if their early-season success holds up against more Circle City foes. Otherwise, it will be difficult to stop Debtones from keeping business as usual and pocketing their ninth straight win.
Zionsville Choralaires | 4th-ranked single-gender group in Indy
Zionsville has faced extremely difficult competition the last two years, and that will not change on debut this season. The group has a chance to get a second shot at Debtones after Fairfield last season. If the group comes out strong this season with clean choreography, they have a chance to win best choreography, since they will now face another April James group in Debtones.
North Central Descants | 6th-ranked single-gender group in Indy
North Central Descants took their first win since 2019 this past weekend against Avon and Plainfield. Snagging Best Vocals was a significant step forward for the group and propelled it to sixth place in the poll rankings. This week, if they are able to rein in either Choralaires or Debtones, they will demonstrate that winning will likely not be uncommon for Descants this season.
Whiteland Expressions
Whiteland’s womens group had a solid season last year, earning three wins in the small division and opening their year at Batesville with a strong second-place finish and Best Choreography. The group also secured a solid 5th place at the large ISSMA state finals. They won tier two at this competition, and a repeat is very likely.
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Mooreseville Finesse
Finesse started its season strong at Southmont, taking a grand championship and sweeping Best Vocals, Best Visuals, and Best Show Concept in the small division. This week, Mooresville is competing in the large single-gender division against some tough competitions. Last week's result makes them a strong contender to fight for the fourth and final finals spot.
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Edgewood Sophisticated Ladies
Edgewood Sophisticated Ladies bring the largest group they have brought since 2020. This will be their second competition after making small finals at Southmont, and it will be their third week performing their show since they hosted their competition at the end of January. If the group can maintain their energy for a third consecutive week, they will have a chance for a second consecutive finals appearance this season.