Return of the Contenders: Choirs 26-50

Preview shows are going on, competition schedules are being released, and dance captains are worried that their groups will forget the choreography over Christmas break.

That means it's time to take a look at who will run America's show choir competitions in 2026.

Over the next few weeks, HomeRoom Show Choir will preview 100 of the country's premier show choirs, giving fans from casual to hardcore everything that matters in advance of a fast-approaching competition season.

Rankings are based on HomeRoom Show Choir’s 2025 Final National Rankings. Interested in digging deeper? View the 2025 Final National Rankings or see how the rankings were compiled.

Previews of 25 more choirs will release on January 6.

2025 #26 Ranked Choir: Burbank “In Sync” (3rd in California)

2026 Director: Brett Carroll (24th season)

Choreographers: Randy Sage (16th season) and April James (23rd season)

Competition Schedule: Feb. 28 - Esperanza, Mar. 7 - hosting, Mar. 14 - To be annoucned, Apr. 11 - John Burroughs, Apr. 18 - Oceanside

Burbank had a great run last season, showing off their strongest post-pandemic show to date. The Truman Show was truly “all that and a bag of chips”, or maybe a can of Mococoa Beans. The 2025 set had everything - it genuinely felt like watching the movie live on stage. Burbank’s pop-centric vocal style will always set In Sync apart, as it’s a style few groups can really execute. Burbank's VMA also picked up a huge windfall over the summer, as television personality Retta donated over $170,000 of game show winnings to the program. For 2026, the big question is 'where are they going?' In Sync has not traveled outside the southwest in several years, but with one date TBA on the competition schedule, hopes abound of a national trip. Wherever they go, the community will be watching closely to see how they do, as well as usual battles with Burroughs and Los Al. - Andrew Estrella, Western contributor

2025 #27 Ranked Choir: Wheaton North “Flight” (2nd in Illinois)

2026 Director: Kassy Krause (12th season)

Choreographers: April James (4th season) and Randy Sage (2nd season)

Competition Schedule: Feb. 7 - Bettendorf, Feb. 14 - Chesterton, Feb. 28 - Mt. Zion, Mar. 7 - John Hersey, Mar. 14 - Wheaton Warrenville South

Wheaton North achieved another successful season in 2025 with three grand champion trophies and placing no lower than third all season. Flight has made a clear case to be considered the standard vocally in Illinois, winning the caption at all but one competition. However, their visuals show some cracks, as they dropped that caption at all but one contest. Flight takes on a monster schedule in 2026, facing nationally renowned talent all season, and in some competitions such as Chesterton, they will need to be firing on all cylinders to make finals. Wheaton North has stepped up as one of the best groups in Illinois, and now they have a pristine opportunity to cement themselves as a powerhouse on the national stage. - Dylan Moss, Illinois contributor

2025 #28 Ranked Choir: Franklin Central “F.C. Singers” (3rd in Indiana)

2026 Directors: Bradley Gardner (18th season) and Kelley Gardner (2nd season)

Choreographers: Tori Brindis (12th season) and Peyton Bellman (3rd season)

Competition Schedule: Feb. 7 - Decatur Central; Feb. 14 - Chesterton; Feb. 21 - Center Grove; Feb. 28 - hosting; Mar. 7 - Pendleton Heights; Mar. 14 - Brownsburg

After lurking in the depths of the sea, F.C. Singers are ready to emerge into the spotlight in 2026. Their 2025 show, telling the legend of the Sea Queen, earned both first runner-up and Grand Champion accolades. Every podium finish came with a caption award, highlighting the ensemble’s power and precision. The season was a standard one for FC, which maintained its standing in Indiana's de facto Big Three with Center Grove and Carmel. Competition will be fierce in 2026. At Chesterton, Singers will face elite ensembles from across the nation, including Wheaton North, Gretna, Brandon, and a familiar face - Carmel. Brownsburg's Bulldog Spectacular will bring Carmel, Mitchell, Zionsville and others. Success means that FC has set the standard in 2026. - Anna Welch, Indiana contributor

2025 #29 Ranked Choir: Carroll “Magic” (4th in Indiana)

2026 Director: Jill Jeran (22nd season)

Choreographers: Tara Tober Barcón (18th season), Damon Brown (22nd season), and Greg Bussiere (6th season)

Competition Schedule: Jan. 30 - Northrop; Feb. 7 - hosting; Feb. 14 - Chesterton; Feb. 21 - Northridge; Feb. 28 - Mt. Zion; Mar. 7 - Jay County; Mar. 14 - Norwell; Mar. 21 - Show Choir Nationals

After a very impressive 2025 season, placing on the podium at every one of their eight competitions, Magic will not slow down as they look ahead in 2026. Competing at the two most competitive competitions in recent years, Chesterton and Show Choir Nationals, they will face notable titans like Center Grove, Carmel, Franklin Central, Grenada, Homewood, and more. This season will really tell what Carroll’s strength is in the show choir circuit. Carroll seemed to impress everyone with their third-place result at Chesterton last year, placing over Brandon and Millard North in the finals round, as well as at Homestead, where they beat Noblesville and Huntington North. Overall, Carroll will have a very nice variety of competition again and will aim to maintain their status as a force to beat in the show choir circuit. - Justin Ternet, Fort Wayne contributor

2025 #30 Ranked Choir: Fairfield “Choraliers” (3rd in Ohio)

2026 Directors: Matthew Baker (5th season), Briana Baker (2nd season) and Kelly Massie (4th season)

Choreographers: Randy Sage (22nd season) and John Briones (4th season) 

Competition Schedule: Jan. 31 - Olentangy; Feb. 14 - Loveland; Feb. 21 - Robert C. Byrd; Feb. 28 - Ross; Mar. 7 - hosting

After a bit of a bumpy return to the circuit following the pandemic, the Choraliers surged back in a major way in 2025, reestablishing themselves as a consistent competitive presence. Aside from losses only to undefeated Solon and longtime powerhouse Marysville, Fairfield captured three competition victories against strong and diverse fields from Ohio, Indiana, and West Virginia. Looking ahead to 2026, the Choraliers will take on a smaller but formidable schedule that still offers plenty of challenges, including three matchups with Marysville and two with Loveland. They will also face out-of-state contenders Daniel Hand and Center Grove, the latter of which has not lost a competition since 2023, setting the stage for a highly competitive season. - Michael McHargh, Ohio contributor

2025 #31 Ranked Choir: Ankeny Centennial “Spectrum” (6th in Iowa)

2026 Directors: Caroline Edgeton (3rd season) and Jon Edgeton (1st season)

Choreographers: Lexi Robson Buglewicz (14th season) and Braxton Carr (6th season)

Competition Schedule: Jan. 10 - Sioux Falls Jefferson; Jan. 17 - Waukee; Jan. 31 - hosting; Feb. 7 - Waukee Northwest; Feb. 28 - Liberty

After Caroline Edgeton took over at Ankeny Centennial, the program has seen a huge jump in results. Now that her husband Jon is joining the creative team, Ankeny Centennial seems to be in for a good season. First, they’ll be traveling up to Sioux Falls to compete against South Dakota groups and Omaha South. Then they’ll head to Waukee to compete against other Iowa powerhouses. At Waukee Northwest, there will be a very interesting matchup between Ankeny Centennial, Waukee, and Urbandale. And finally, Spectrum will go up against Linn-Mar at Liberty. It’s going to be a very fun season to watch Ankeny Centennial face off against many of Iowa's best. - Quinn Masek, Siouxland Contributor

2025 #32 Ranked Choir: Avon “Accents” (5th in Indiana)

2026 Directors: Leah Trigg (9th season) and Drew Stainbrook (3rd season)

Choreographers: Brooke Smolder (3rd season) and David Legg (6th season)

Competition Schedule: Feb. 7 - Southmont; Feb. 14, Plainfield; Feb. 21 - Petal; Feb. 28 - Mooresville; Mar. 7 - hosting; Mar. 14 - Brownsburg; Mar. 21 - ISSMA Finals

Coming out of an undefeated season, Avon will take on a more difficult competition schedule. They will travel to Petal, Mississippi to compete against a completely different circuit, and they will compete at Brownsburg, where the lineup has become an Indianapolis showdown once again. After sweeping every competition in 2025, all eyes are on Avon to see if they can keep up with the standard they left with their Olympics-themed show last year. Overall, Avon has kept their momentum these past couple of years and they will likely remain successful in the 2026 season, but it may not be to the level of an undefeated season. - Justin Ternet, Fort Wayne contributor

2025 #33 Ranked Choir: Waukee “Millennium” (7th in Iowa)

2026 Director: Tony Dam (2nd season)

Choreographers: Tori Brindis (11th season), Peyton Bellman (5th season) and Jarad Voss (11th season)

Competition Schedule: Jan. 10 - Des Moines Christian; Jan. 17 - hosting; Jan. 24 - Johnston; Feb. 7 - Waukee Northwest; Feb. 28 - Liberty

Millennium had one heck of a 2025 season, only losing to Johnston, Ankeny, and Linn-Mar while also beating Mitchell, Waukee Northwest, Millard West, Broken Arrow, Prairie, and Cedar Rapids Kennedy. Now, Millennium is back and ready to face more tough Iowa competition. They will be facing familiar opponents, but in 2026 they will also be competing against Ankeny Centennial and Urbandale, a program that has changed a lot during the off-season. Despite all of this, it’s safe to say that Millennium will find success in the 2026 season, and it’s going to be very interesting to see how the choir grows and adapts to a second season under Tony Dam's leadership. - Quinn Masek, Siouxland Contributor

2025 #34 Ranked Choir: Cosby “Spotlight” (1st in Virginia)

2026 Directors: Heather Andre (19th season) and Ella Mort (3rd season)

Choreographer: Jason Peace (19th season)

Competition Schedule: Feb. 14 - Chesterton; Feb. 21 - Thomas Dale; Feb. 28 - To be announced; Mar. 7 - hosting; Mar. 21 - Powhatan

Although Cosby broke their seven-competition grand championship streak at the start of 2025, they would not skip a beat the rest of the season. They started the year with a second overall, only losing to the highly decorated Hurricane Red Hot, while also taking home Best Vocals. Cosby then ran the table in the Virginia scene, picking up three wins in a row at Thomas Dale, Hanover & Mechanicsville, and Powhatan. In 2026, Cosby is one of seven choirs ranked in HomeRoom’s 2025 Top 50 that will be attending the Chesterton Trojan Classic, with no surefire indicator on what their result may be. As they return to the Commonwealth for the rest of the season, look for Cosby and decorated director Heather Andre to continue their in-state reign as Virginia’s best. - Cole McConnell, Virginia contributor

2025 #35 Ranked Choir: Blue Valley “Chamber Singers” (1st in Kansas)

2026 Director: Sam Dollins (6th season)

Choreographer(s): To be announced

Competition Schedule: Jan. 17 - hosting; Jan. 24 - Chillicothe; Feb. 14 - Harrisonville; Mar. 7 - Raymore-Peculiar

It's easy to forget that Blue Valley didn't arrive on the show choir scene until after the pandemic. Shepherded by Sam Dollins' veteran leadership, Chamber Singers took down Illinois blue blood Mt. Zion to start the competition season last year, won a competition it wasn't attending until 24 hours before (Cameron), and dispatched winning groups from Mississippi and Nebraska to claim the FAME National Finals win. Gone are the appearances at Lincoln Northeast and Glenwood (Iowa) that dotted the group's early seasons - Blue Valley will take on Chesterton, Carthage, Grand Island Northwest, Neosho, and others this season and has a legitimate shot to go undefeated. - William Soquet, Editor-in-Chief

2025 #36 Ranked Choir: Hastings “Riverside Company” (1st in Minnesota)

2026 Director: Luke Warren (9th season)

Choreographer: Ellie Jordan (7th season)

Competition Schedule: Jan. 17 - Linn-Mar; Jan. 31 - Bloomington Kennedy; Feb. 7 - North St. Paul; Feb. 21 - hosting; Feb. 28 - Heart of America Nashville

Riverside Company brought the baseball diamond to the stage in 2025, performing a show based on the movie Sandlot. In baseball terms, Hastings faced an easy divisonal schedule, winning at Bloomington Kennedy and North St. Paul in the Twin Cities metro, but played many tough nonconference teams, dropping to Broken Arrow, Gretna East, Davenport North, Mitchell, and others. Riverside will return to the sites of both its 2025 wins in 2026 and will continue to challenge itself with intense fields at Linn-Mar and HOA Nashville. Assuming the choir hits its stride again, Hastings should hit a couple more home runs in 2026. - William Soquet, Editor-in-Chief

2025 #37 Ranked Choir: Lafayette Jefferson “First Edition” (6th in Indiana)

2026 Director: Mark Myers (3rd season)

Choreographer(s): Jeff Jordan (3rd season)

Competition Schedule: Feb. 7 - Carroll; Feb. 14 - Homestead; Feb. 21 - Franklin Community; Feb. 28 - hosting; Mar. 7 - Bishop Luers; Mar. 14 - Marysville

After a breakthrough season for Lafayette Jefferson, 2026 should continue moving the program forward. Behind Lafayette Jefferson’s smoke and lights, their vocals and choreography have seen a huge growth since Mark Myers took over in 2024, leading them to capture very high placements and multiple caption awards throughout the 2025 season. Looking into 2026, they will compete against more notable groups like ETC, Huntington North, Fishers, and more. It will be a very interesting season to see how they compare with these other groups this season. - Justin Ternet, Fort Wayne contributor

2025 #38 Ranked Choir: Piqua “The Company” (4th in Ohio)

2026 Directors: Tom Westfall (26th season), Lara Ray (15th season), and Brian Detweiler (4th season)

Choreographer(s): To be announced

Competition Schedule: Jan. 10 - Van Buren; Jan. 17 - Beavercreek; Jan. 31 - Findlay; Other dates to be announced

Piqua is one of Ohio’s most storied show choirs with many years of success, especially after reclaiming some of their dominance after the pandemic. From 2022 to 2025 The Company earned nine Grand Championships over the likes of ETC, Findlay, Loveland, and Solon. The Company will start off their season with a hopeful sweep of a smaller field at Van Buren's inaugural contest before taking on groups like Loveland, Solon, and Hurricane at Beavercreek and Findlay. Things have been on the up and up for Piqua, so while some dates of their competition schedule are still up in the air, the 2026 season has the promise to bring a familiar success for the group. - Michael McHargh, Ohio contributor

2025 #39 Ranked Choir: Valley “Choralation” (8th in Iowa)

2026 Director: Haley Gibbons (9th season)

Choreographer: Mike Weaver (16th season)

Competition Schedule: Jan. 17 -  Waukee; Jan. 31 - Davenport North; Feb. 14 - North Polk; Feb. 28 - Marion

If any group grew the most throughout 2025, it was Choralation. They may have started with two tough competitions at the beginning, but by the end they were able to secure not one but two wins and associated caption awards at both Marion and Dallas Center-Grimes. Choralation is not backing off from resilient groups in 2026, as they will face Ankeny, Ankeny Centennial, and Davenport Central at a couple of their competitions. What feels like a short schedule is going to go by quickly for Choralation and its show Where the Wild Things Are, but there’s no doubt they are going to give it their all to prove they are worth being in Iowa’s top ten. - Arte Reed, Nebraska/Iowa contributor

2025 #40 Ranked Choir: Keller “Blue Lights” (1st in Texas)

2026 Directors: Zach Steele (7th season) and Erin Schmidt (1st season)

Choreographer: Dalton Myatt (8th season)

Competition Schedule: Feb. 21 - LD Bell; Other dates to be announced

Blue Lights made waves earlier this month with the departure of Zach Steele, who will become a sea chanter for the United States Navy. Steele had been a director of Blue Lights since 2019 and took over the head director position in 2024 after the retirement of Chi-Chi King. Erin Schmidt will be taking over in Steele's wake. Schmidt has overseen Keller’s womens group Lumina since its inception in 2024 and led Lumina to two division wins last season. Blue Lights is coming off of one of their most successful seasons to date. Will they be able to keep their momentum without Steele? Their number one spot in Texas is on the line this season as Fossil Ridge, LD Bell, a resurgent Keller Central and others try to climb to the top. - Kortney Minnick, Texas contributor 

2025 #41 Ranked Choir: Webb City “Singers” (1st in Missouri)

2026 Director: Melinda Benham (12th season)

Choreographer: Zachary Pettit (8th season)

Competition Schedule: Jan. 17 - Blue Valley; Jan. 24 - Mount Vernon; Feb. 7 - Joplin; Feb. 21 - Nevada; Feb. 28 - Platte County; Mar. 7 - hosting

Webb City Singers had a stellar season last year, continuing their upward momentum in the Midwest. They took home a sizable four Grand Championships, two second-place finishes, and one third-place finish, along with a wide variety of caption awards. This comes after their record-breaking 2024 season, where they obtained not one, but two grand champion titles–the first wins in director Melinda Benham’s time with the group. Their sister choir, Bella Voce, had taken a Grand Champ the year prior, driving WC Singers to work even harder. If their streak of success continues, things are looking good for Webb City Singers this year. - Anne Marie Wright, Heartland contributor

2025 #42 Ranked Choir: Cedar Rapids Kennedy “Happiness, Inc.” (9th in Iowa)

2026 Director: Storm Ziegler (22nd season)

Choreographers: Randy Sage (5th season) and Lexi Robson Buglewicz (2nd season)

Competition Schedule: Jan. 17 - Linn-Mar; Jan. 31 - Prairie; Feb. 14 - Cedar Rapids Washington; Feb. 21 - Indianola; Feb. 28 - To be announced

Adding Lexi Robson Buglewicz to Kennedy’s choreographer lineup in paid off as Happiness, Inc. took not one, but two grand champion trophies in the 2025 season. Now that Buglewicz has established herself at Kennedy, it doesn’t look like Kennedy is slowing down any time soon. For the most part, Kennedy is traveling back to the same competitions they were at in 2025, facing a bunch of the same groups too. The program's website also denotes February 28th as an “Out Of State Competition”. While the possibilities are nearly endless, either Mt. Zion or Heart Of America Nashville seem like plausible picks. Regardless of where Kennedy goes, it looks like they are going to see success wherever they compete. - Quinn Masek, Siouxland Contributor

2025 #43 Ranked Choir: Urbandale “Studio” (10th in Iowa)

2026 Director: Adam Brown (1st season)

Choreographer: Kevin Chase (1st season)

Competition Schedule: Jan. 17 - Linn-Mar; Jan. 24 - Johnston; Feb. 7 - Waukee Northwest; Feb. 14 - hosting; Feb. 28 - Norris

Urbandale has been a well established show choir in the Des Moines metro. They stayed in the loop during the previous season and showed tremendous growth as the competition season went on with their Home Alone show. Now, big changes are happening at Urbandale. Ankeny’s previous director, Adam Brown, will be stepping in as Ted Brimeyer departs from Urbandale. Additionally, Studio is now choreographed by Kevin Chase instead of Stephen Todd. Their 2026 schedule looks just as loaded as it was previously despite these changes to the program. Will Studio 2026 maintain its style and execution as one of Iowa's top outfits? Urbandale has something to prove to the rest of Iowa that they will remain one of the best in the state. - Arte Reed, Nebraska/Iowa contributor

2025 #44 Ranked Choir: Waltham “Music Unlimited” (1st in Massachusetts)

2026 Directors: Alyssa Cincotta (12th season) and Tom Cincotta (12th season)

Choreographers: Tori Brindis (13th season) and Peyton Bellman (4th season)

Competition Schedule: Jan. 31 - Tantasqua; Feb. 7 - Shepherd Hill; Feb. 28 - Somerset Berkley; Mar. 7 - Leominster; Mar. 21 - Andover; Mar. 28 - hosting

Waltham took three wins last season and was essentially choir 1b in New England last season, losing to Daniel Hand twice but taking captions off VIBE both times. Music Unlimited also tested their mettle in the Midwest, besting Troy Buchanan and Glenwood for a solid fourth-place outing at Franklin Central. The upcoming season promises to be full of battles, as Waltham will see Daniel Hand at all five of its competitions in 2026. Evidenced by the pair of caption splits in 2025, those myraid opportunities to match up should prove to be close throughout the season. - William Soquet, Editor-in-Chief

2025 #45 Ranked Choir: Waukee Northwest “Eos” (11th in Iowa)

2026 Director: Jack Daubitz (5th season) 

Choreographers: Lexi Robson Buglewicz (5th season) and Nick Quamme (5th season)

Competition Schedule: Jan. 10 - Holmen; Jan. 17 - Linn-Mar; Jan. 31 - Ankeny Centennial; Feb. 7 - hosting; Feb. 28 - Southeast Polk 

Group Spotlight: Waukee Northwest Eos Is On the Rise in Its Mere Infancy

Waukee Northwest is looking to captivate audiences in 2026 with their theme “A Face To Call Home”. The fifth-year choir will attend three in-state competitions and one competition out of state. Holmen Gathering is the choir’s first-ever appearance in Wisconsin. Eos will face two groups ranked directly ahead of it, Urbandale and Cedar Rapids Kennedy, at its first in-state competition of the season, Linn-Mar Supernova. Last year at Supernova they were able to upset Johnston. This year ,the choir faces Johnston at its last competition of the season, Southeast Polk. Even though Eos will participate at one less competition this season, it is shaping up to be a high-stakes and possibly legacy defining campaign. - Timothy Laubach, Iowa contributor 

2025 #46 Ranked Choir: Zionsville “Royalaires” (7th in Indiana)

2026 Directors: Deana Broge (13th season) and Sam Chenoweth (7th season)

Choreographers: April James (5th season), Randy Sage (8th season), Ellie Jordan (3rd season), and Sammy Williams (1st season)

Competition Schedule: Feb. 14 - Plainfield; Feb. 28 - Sullivan; Mar. 7 - Fairfield; Mar. 14 - Brownsburg

The Zionsville Royalaires are entering their 59th year of entertainment this competition season, and expectations are high for 2026. Their 2025 show, Find Your Joy, earned three first runner-up titles and a prelim first-place and finals second runner-up finish at Show Choir Nationals, along with caption awards for Best Band and Best Vocals throughout the course of the season. However, it was Zionsville's first winless competition season since 2010, ending a staggering 13-season streak of earning at least one Grand Champion award. Zionsville will likely get back in the win column at Plainfield, but they will face Wheaton Warrenville South at Sullivan, Millard West and Brandon at Fairfield, and Carmel and Franklin Central at Brownsburg. - Anna Welch, Indiana contributor 

2025 #47 Ranked Choir: De Pere “Jam Session” (2nd in Wisconsin)

2026 Director: Anne Marie Cummings (12th season)

Choreographers: Ben Schrank (5th season) and Ellie Jordan (4th season)

Competition Schedule: Jan. 17 - New London; Jan. 24 - Milton; Feb. 7 - hosting; Feb. 21 - Monona Grove; Feb. 28 - Marion; Mar. 14 - Green Bay Southwest

Jam's 2025 achievements included a pair of Grand Championships, beating a fairly local field at New London and outlasting multiple Iowa groups for a symbolic win at Monona Grove, exorcising bad luck that plagued De Pere's appearances at Silver Stage since 2018. The ensemble will be in fighting contention everywhere it goes in the Badger State in 2026 along with factoring into a very high-caliber lineup at Marion (Gretna East, Valley, Des Moines Christian, Cedar Rapids Washington). However, Jam Session will not match up at all against Onalaska, La Crosse, or Sparta, leaving some to wonder, 'what would those battles look like?'. - William Soquet, Editor-in-Chief

2025 #48 Ranked Choir: Neosho “Choraleers” (2nd in Missouri)

2026 Directors: Melanie Soule (16th season) and Levi Hudnut (1st season)

Choreographer: Sam Mulligan (1st season)

Competition Schedule: Jan. 17 - Blue Valley, Jan. 24 - Pleasant Hill, Feb. 7 - Troy Buchanan, Feb. 14 -  hosting, Feb. 21 - Nevada, Mar. 7 - Raymore-Peculiar

The Neosho Choraleers have seen consistent success over the last several seasons, having a near-perfect season last year. They took three Grand Championships and a first runner-up, but unfortunately did not make a very loaded finals at Mt. Zion. The ensemble will look different in 2026, as Levi Hudnut is the new assistant director after Grant Benham's departure and Sam Mulligan is the new choreographer after Kacy Christensen's retirement. Multiple regional showdowns will test the Choraleers' new look and also give opportunities for success. -Anne Marie Wright, Heartland contributor 

2025 #49 Ranked Choir: La Crosse “River City Revolution” (3rd in Wisconsin)

2026 Directors: Ian Schultz (2nd season) and Adam Carty (2nd season)

Choreographers: Lexi Robson Buglewicz (2nd season) and Braxton Carr (2nd season)

Competition Schedule: Jan. 10 - Tomah; Jan. 17 - Onalaska; Jan. 23 - hosting; Jan. 31- Ankeny Centennial; Feb. 7 - Eau Claire Memorial; Feb. 14 - hosting; Feb. 28 - Western Dubuque

RCR entered the 2025 season as an unknown quantity, the product of a merger between La Crosse Central's and Logan's show choir programs. They exceeded perhaps the boldest expectations, toppling Troy Buchanan for the win in the ensemble's third-ever competition. La Crosse beat Bemidji and Bloomington Jefferson at Bloomington Kennedy; they swept De Pere for the win at Medford. This year, their competitors will include El Paso-Gridley, Bloomington Kennedy, Ankeny, Waukee Northwest, Davenport Central, Mundelein, an Onalaska. Another multi-win season brings them to "household name" territory in Wisconsin and perhaps the Midwest. - William Soquet, Editor-in-Chief

2025 #50 Ranked Choir: Brandon “Brio” (3rd in Mississippi)

2026 Directors: Charles Woodward (15th season) and Lauren Woodward (4th season)

Choreographer: Stephen Todd (6th season)

Competition Schedule: Jan. 24 - Hoover; Feb. 7 - Northeast Jones; Feb. 14 - Chesterton; Feb. 21 - Jackson Prep; Feb. 28 - Oak Grove ; Mar. 7 - Fairfield; Mar. 28 - hosting

A busy 2025 season saw Brio compete in Missippi, Nebraska, Indiana, and Illinois, capped off by winning the Traveler Award in the 3rd Annual Homie Awards. In the Midwest, Brio chooses marquee events and consistently places in the top five. However, they were outpaced by West Jones and Oak Mountain back home in 2025. This season, Brio will continue to travel to the Midwest, tackling Chesterton for the third straight year and going to Fairfield in Ohio. They will also compete against Clinton at the Jackson Prep Show Choir Masters, which offers a chance to take on the best choir in the southern region and take what would be the biggest win in program history. Wherever the season takes them in locales and placements, Brandon will sport a tight production and leave a mark on the audience. - Clark Piercy, Southern Contributor