MT. ZION – Show Choir groups from all over Illinois are in Mt. Zion this weekend to compete in a National Show Choir Competition at Mt. Zion High School.
This is the 34th Annual Midwest Invitational Mt. Zion has hosted, but for the first time, the high school gets to show off its new auditorium. In the past, Mt. Zion Swingsation Booster Club President Barry Schmidt says they have had to hold the choir competition in a school gym.
“We’ve gone from trying to cram everyone in a gym with bleachers and folding chairs, to a 1,500-seat facility with great sound and great lighting,” says Schmidt. “It’s really neat to finally put kids with world-class voices in a facility where they can truly show them off.”
Successful show choir teams throughout Illinois are competing for the Grand Champion prize during the two-day competition. Mt. Zion Show Choir Director Connie Mulligan says they really enjoy hosting the competition every year, as it brings recognition to their program.
“This is a great thing for Mt. Zion and it has been a long-standing tradition for us to host a competition like this,” says Mulligan. “People know about us and our program and many other schools make sure they visit us sometime during their show choir season.”
“We have been a leader among Show Choir competitions for a while, and I really think it brings in a lot of high-level competitors,” Mulligan added.
Local and central Illinois schools competing this weekend include: Mt. Zion Jr. High School, Sullivan Jr. High, Thomas Jefferson Middle School, Johns Hill, Danville High School, Mt. Zion High School, and Chatham Glenwood High School. They are joined by one Indian school, El Paso Jr. High, North Ridge middle school, Waubonsie Valley High School, Crete Monee High School, and Wheaton North High School.
Six Junior High groups competed on Friday night, and the High School competition begins on Saturday morning. Nine mixed and four unisex groups will be competing first on Saturday, followed by High School mixed choir performances. The finals will begin at 6:30 with final awards expected shortly after 10 p.m.
If you’d like more information on this weekend’s performances, click here.
