By Andrew Estrella, Western contributor
With the second week of the West Coast show choir circuit underway, competition lineups are expanding by leaps and bounds. This weekend, Esperanza is set to host a number of notable groups, including a school from Indiana, making for some highly competitive divisions.
Advanced Mixed I
John Burroughs and John F. Kennedy will match up for the second week in a row. Powerhouse will, barring something extreme, take its second win of the season.
Advanced Mixed II
• Glendora “Royal Stewarts”
• Brea Olinda “Masquerade”
• Chesterton “Sandpipers”
• Hart “Sound Vibrations”
This is the advanced II showdown that's been anticipated since last season—a true battle of heavyweights. Three well-established California groups will go head-to-head with a highly anticipated out-of-town competitor, Chesterton.
Glendora is coming off its strongest season yet and will be looking to defend its top spot. Meanwhile, Chesterton had a solid season last year, earning wins over groups like El Paso-Gridley, Manteno, Glenwood, and Troy Buchanan. It will be interesting to see how the judges respond to their traditional Midwest style compared to the more contemporary California approach.
Brea and Hart will likely be neck and neck, with each group bringing its own strengths to the table. This division could go in a lot of different directions, but here’s the author's prediction:
1. Chesterton “Sandpipers” (Musicianship)
2. Glendora “Royal Stewarts” (Showmanship)
3. Brea Olinda “Masquerade”
4. Hart “Sound Vibrations”
Advanced Womens – Large Group
• John Burroughs “Sound Sensations”
• Chesterton “Drifters”
• JFK “First Ladies”
This is shaping up to be an exciting womens division matchup. The big storyline here is the rematch between John Burroughs’ Sound Sensations and Chesterton’s Drifters. Burroughs took the win last year when these two groups matched up in Virginia, and is likely to do so again.
The wildcard in this battle is JFK’s First Ladies, who are making waves in the advanced womens scene. JFK is proving to be a rising powerhouse, having defeated Burbank’s Blue Impressions last season at Oceanside. The question is: can they take down Chesterton?
Prediction:
1. John Burroughs “Sound Sensations” (Music/Show)
2. JFK “First Ladies”
3. Chesterton “Drifters”
Intermediate Womens
• Brea Olinda “Tiffanys”
• John Burroughs “Decibelles”
• Walnut “Rhapsody in Blue”
• Glendora “Silhouettes”
Womens divisions are truly bringing the heat this weekend. Walnut is in its first year with a new director, coming in as the division wildcard. Silhouettes took one division win last year and Tiffanys were shut out of the win column, meaning both groups will be taking aim at the established favorites in the division.
Prediction:
1. Brea Olinda “Tiffany’s” (Musicianship)
2. John Burroughs “Decibelles” (Showmanship)
3. Glendora “Silhouettes”
4. Walnut “Rhapsody in Blue”
Group Highlights
JFK Ambassadors
JFK has brought back its novice mixed group after a year off in 2024. This group could become a real contender in the lower mixed divisions, reminiscent of Burroughs’ and Los Alamitos’ intermediate groups.
Glendora Highland Heirs
Highland Heirs is totally fresh to the scene this year as a new group. Glendora continues to grow its program, now adding a third ensemble to its lineup. Originally formed as a mixed group at the start of the school year, Highland Heirs has since transitioned into a womens group. This move provides a space for new performers to develop, and in a few years, the positive impact on Glendora’s upper-tier ensembles will be evident.
Carlsbad Encore
Many are happy to see Encore take the stage for the first time since 2022. They were Carlsbad’s top group at the time, and made an impressive post-pandemic comeback in the advanced womens division. Now, with their return, Carlsbad has a fresh opportunity to make a mark in the field once again.
Esperanza Spectacular is shaping up to be a weekend filled with intense competition and exciting matchups. With powerhouse programs, fresh faces, and unexpected shakeups, this relatively newer contest is showing that you don't need to be a big-name choir to host a big-name competition.