Showchoir pros and cons

[Choraltalk Gateway]

hello all,
I'm interested in hearing everyone's opinions on show choir. good/bad
experiences. I'd really like to hear opinions like "I stopped doing
show choir because..." or "Show choir is a must because..."
thanks a lot
Nate

Nate Miller
millerna05(at)gmail.com
[phone]
James Madison University
Bachelor of Music
Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia
www.sinfonia.org
Exit 245 (Male A Cappella)
www.exit245.com

[Matt]

Hi,
I took over a position ten years ago that had a show choir. This just
wasn't my thing, so I changed it to a jazz choir. For me, this was the
best choice. I have a group of 24 voices evenly balanced with 6 on a
part and audition kids for it every year. The younger students see it
as a goal to attain, and that's great. The kids enjoy doing it and any
thoughts of sequins and choreography have long since gone away. We
rehearse in a circle and when a chord is tuned just so, that's as
exciting, if not more, than the show choir experience. I can choose
literature based on the best arrangements from people like Kirby Shaw,
Mark Hayes, Paris Rutherford, the list goes on. There's so much great
stuff out there. I think the bottom line is what is the best
educational experience for the kids? When show choir is done well, it's
fantastic. I've seen some great groups over the years. But for me,
jazz choir is a more purely musical experience. The real question is,
what do YOU think?
Matt
P.S. I think the school musical can be a great vehicle for the show
choir type stuff too. Don't you?

Post by Choraltalk Gateway
hello all,
I'm interested in hearing everyone's opinions on show choir. good/bad
experiences. I'd really like to hear opinions like "I stopped doing
show choir because..." or "Show choir is a must because..."
thanks a lot
Nate

[fmomoon]

Post by Choraltalk Gateway
hello all,
I'm interested in hearing everyone's opinions on show choir. good/bad
experiences. I'd really like to hear opinions like "I stopped doing
show choir because..." or "Show choir is a must because..."
thanks a lot
Nate
Nate Miller
millerna05(at)gmail.com
[phone]
James Madison University
Bachelor of Music
Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia
www.sinfonia.org
Exit 245 (Male A Cappella)
www.exit245.com

I don't do traditional show choir. Not a bit of glitter to be seen and
everyone sings. What I put together for our tour every year is a mixture of
musical theatre, pop, jazz and standards that make for a fun, high energy
show. Choreography is part of what we do, but the music always comes first.
I have between 22 and 24 singers, six on a part. This is an audition group
and I always have more girls than I need, but search every year for enough
guys. Sound familiar? We take our tour show to other schools and workshops
at colleges. We really enjoy Magic Music Days at Disneyland and they are
always accommodating to us.

I felt validated when I went to ACDA National this year. I listened to the
show choirs and found that some of them did very much what I did. That
helped.

I hope you try it, but don't let the sequins get in the way.

Monica Maddern
Northgate High School
***@comcast.net