Plenty to Look Forward to in Heartland Show Choir This Season

By Anne Marie Wright, Heartland contributor

The 2025 show choir season in the Heartland was wild–filled with shocking upsets, broken records, and countless amazing performances. Last year saw some small-school competitors break into the finals ranks, some large schools continue to thrive, and some unexpected competition results. If the 2026 season is anything like last year, it will be an eventful few months!

On the Missouri scene, keeping with their previous trends, Webb City Singers, Neosho

Choraleers, and Troy Buchanan Express remained the front-runners. Based on their success

over recent seasons, it looks like they will remain some of the bigger forces to be reckoned with.

In the smaller school divisions, Hollister Blue Harmony, Mt. Vernon Vocal Motion, and

Hannibal River City Revue were some of the top dogs, holding their own even in finals match-ups against larger schools.

Looking at the Kansas circuit, Blue Valley Chamber Singers were the clear standouts, seeing major success throughout their entire season, including multiple first place wins (one at FAME Show Choir Nationals). They are one of the younger groups in the Midwest show choir scene, but they’ve managed to climb the ranks at an impressive rate. Directed by Sam Dollins since their debut, they’ve competed with groups from across the country, and held their own while doing so. St. Thomas Aquinas Swingin’ Saints also saw a good bit of success last year, taking first place at the Webb City Showcase over both Joplin groups and Mt. Vernon Vocal Motion, a shocking upset in Southwest Missouri.

Moving to Oklahoma, Broken Arrow Tiger Rhythm continues to thrive, dominating at

nearly every competition they attended last season. They earned a whopping four wins, a near-perfect season. Long-time director Justin Rosser has seen this group through many seasons–some more successful than others–and last year’s was one of their best. Another strong contender for this season is the Jenks Trojanaires. They have been consistently successful over the last several seasons and they don’t look to be giving that up anytime soon.

Womens divisions across the Heartland are also going to be stacked this year. With groups

like Broken Arrow Tiger Mystique, Webb City Bella Voce, Joplin Touch of Class, Neosho

Sugar and Spice, and Carthage Suite Sounds, it’s going to be neck and neck. Historically, it’s

been a toss up between several of these groups, and last season was no exception. Webb City

and Joplin’s friendly rivalry continues, as well as Neosho and Carthage’s also-friendly competition. Despite the abundance of successful mixed groups, it wouldn’t be shocking to see some of these womens choirs in finals this season.

All in all, the 2026 season in Missouri, Kansas, and Oklahoma is definitely one to look

forward to. It’s always inspiring to see the growth for each of these groups from year-to-year,

and this season is shaping up to be very competitive. Keep your eyes peeled for this year’s

competition updates in the Heartland!

What’s Changed?

● Melinda Benham is entering her final season with Webb City High School as she

prepares to retire after this year; her successor is yet to be determined.

● Rock Bridge has reestablished their formerly-retired womens group Satin and Lace. This will be their first year in competition since the 2021 season.

● Carthage High School is debuting their bass group, called MANic Harmony, co-directed by Brian Hargrave and Katie Crigger.

● Joplin High School prepares for director Monica Reynolds-Brown’s departure after this season. She will be succeeded by assistant director McCade Gordon, joined by a new co-director, yet to be decided. Additionally, Joplin is premiering a new mens group this season called Men of Note. After a failed attempt to start a mens group several seasons ago, their new group is likely to come out swinging with their lumberjack-themed set.

Who’s on the rise?

● Jenks Trojanaires, directed by Michael Shimp, has seen some major success over the last several seasons, and they don’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. The lowest they placed last season was fourth overall at Avon in Indiana; conversely, they snagged a Grand Championship and several captions at L.D. Bell in Texas. Trojanaires have been consistently successful for the last two years, and they’ve given no signs of breaking their pattern.

● Hollister Blue Harmony, a small school mixed choir, made history last season with their first finals appearance since before the pandemic (which happened under their former name, “City Lights”). Their Midas-themed show earned them many accolades last season, including two finals appearances and as high as fifth place overall. Hollister went through a rough patch after the pandemic, seldom placing in their division, and City Lights temporarily disbanded for the 2022 season. In 2023, they returned, rebranded as “Blue Harmony,” starting the process of rebuilding their program. If last season says anything, it’s that Hollister has absolutely made the comeback that they worked many seasons for.

● Oak Park Oak Street Singers has already started the season off hot, winning Missouri's first contest in Maryville on Jan. 10. The Kansas City choir defeated fellow metro program Pleasant Hill and north-central choir Smith-Cotton to take the win. They will face tough lineups later in the season, but already have momentum on their side for a good season.

Who has something to prove?

● Mt. Vernon Vocal Motion had a long stretch of success over the last several seasons, including multiple finals appearances and a sleuth of division wins, but they haven’t been able to gain a lot of upward momentum in the last two seasons. They will have to work hard to continue to run with the big dogs and get over their plateau from last season, but Vocal Motion will most likely be coming into this year with a renewed hunger for victory and a strong desire to surpass their success from seasons prior.

● In 2022, following the debut of several mens choirs from schools like Webb City, Neosho, and Pleasant Hill, Joplin High School attempted to start up a mens group of their own. They got through a portion of the rehearsal process, but were never able to make it to the competition season. This new group of boys that comprises Men of Note, determined to surpass their successors’ attempt at putting together a competitive mens group, seems especially driven to make a name for themselves among the established mens choirs of the Heartland.

What competitions are looking good?

● Jan. 17: Blue Valley. Tiger Takedown, in its fifth year, is shaping up to be a great competition. Returning after a few-year hiatus from the comp is Broken Arrow, along with

returning regulars such as Webb City, Neosho, Rock Bridge, and Carthage. Joining the competition for the first time are choirs like Mt. Vernon Vocal Motion, Johnston Innovation, and Skutt Catholic Vivace. Additionally, the womens division is packed, featuring choirs like Webb City Bella Voce, St. Thomas Aquinas Saintsations, Rock Bridge Satin and Lace, Neosho Sugar and Spice, and many more.

● Jan. 24: Chillicothe. Newly established this year, the Chilli Grooves Festival has an absolutely stacked lineup. With a total of 21 groups hailing from four different states, it’s going to be a full weekend at Chilli Grooves. In the mixed divisions, there will be large groups such as Blue Valley Chamber Singers, Carthage Soundwave, Oak Park Oak Street

Singers, and Hickman Harmonix. In the smaller mixed divisions, there are groups such as Hannibal River City Revue, Harrisonville Music Makers, and Atchison Adrenaline, just to name a few. Hannibal and Harrisonville have historically been very good at running with the big dogs in the large school divisions, so the final placements could be anyone’s for the taking. Carthage Suite Sounds, Oak Park Treble FX, and Chesterton Drifters will make up the slightly smaller womens division.

● Feb. 7: Troy Buchanan. This year at the Troy Buchanan Show Choir Invitational, Mt. Zion, Glenwood, Neosho, Nevada, and Rock Bridge will all be bringing both their mixed and single-gender groups, making up the majority of the competition. A couple of these schools will even be bringing three groups (looking at you, Mt. Zion and Neosho). Marquette Center Stage, Battle Battalion, and Green Ridge Harmony will also be competing in the open mixed division, rounding out a diverse weekend of competition.