The time has come to look the 2025 show choir season in the face.
Over the next two weeks, HomeRoom Show Choir will preview 225 different groups across three divisions, giving show choir fans from Connecticut to California all they need to know about the upcoming season.
Rankings are based on HomeRoom Show Choir’s 2024 Final National Rankings. Interested in digging deeper? View the 2024 Final National Rankings or see how the rankings were compiled.
Previews of 75 of America's top show choirs will release on January 1.
2024 #26 Ranked Choir: Troy Buchanan “Soundwave” (1st in Missouri)
2025 Directors: Ryan Cooper (1st season as head director)
Choreographer: Anne Chapman (16th season)
Competition Schedule: Jan. 18 - Milton; Feb. 8 - Hosting; Feb. 15 - Neosho; Feb. 22 - Franklin Central; Mar. 8 - Mt. Zion; Mar. 15 - Wheaton Warrenville South
Soundwave sits in a unique position as a ‘prep’ group in Missouri, often not having any choirs in its same situation to compete against. Wherever the group competes, however, it usually finds plenty of success. A pair of finals appearances in 2024 (in Illinois and Virginia, no less) bodes well for a bit of an odd 2025 season, where Soundwave will compete in several different divisions across four states. This season will also be the first for Soundwave without legendary director Andrew Drinkall. - William Soquet, Editor-in-Chief
2024 #27 Ranked Choir: Twinsburg “Great Expectations” (3rd in Ohio)
2025 Director: Peter Hampton (4th season)
Choreographer: Jacob Jay Jones (3rd season)
Competition Schedule: Feb. 1 - Northrop; Feb. 8 - Hosting; Feb. 15 - Medina; Feb. 22 - Robert C. Byrd; Mar. 1 - Solon; Mar. 8 - Marysville
Twinsburg is far removed from their days of dominating Ohio show choir, but since settling into Small Mixed, they have managed to find good results for themselves. In 2024, they faced several challenges, but they won their division several times and took home three finals placements. In 2025, they will look to improve on these placements, though they face a tough schedule, including a matchup with almost the entire Fort Wayne scene at Northrop, Fairfield and Solon at Medina, several good West Virginia and Virginia groups at Robert C. Byrd, Findlay and Beavercreek at Solon, and then a rematch with Beavercreek and Fairfield at Marysville. It should be interesting to see what Twinsburg is able to make of this schedule. - Simon Zimmerman, Ohio Contributor
2024 #28 Ranked Choir: Martinsburg “Good Times” (5th in West Virginia)
2025 Director: Hayley Cowan (3rd season)
Choreographer: Sammy Williams (6th season)
Competition Schedule: Feb. 1 - Walsh Jesuit; Feb. 15 - Medina; Feb. 22 - Robert C. Byrd; Mar. 1 - Hanover; Mar. 22 - Powhatan; Mar. 29 - hosting
Good Times wasn’t as explosive in 2024 as they were in 2023, but there were still a lot of accolades to be had. Martinsburg got better as the season went on, capping the year with a middle mixed triumph over a horde of contenders at Powhatan. This year’s schedule features two Ohio competitions, two Virginia competitions, and a sole in-state appearance at Robert C. Byrd. The group will need to start off on the right foot in 2025, as the caliber of competition ramps up throughout the year. - William Soquet, Editor-in-Chief
2024 #29 Ranked Choir: Natick “West Street Singers” (1st in Massachusetts)
2025 Director: Bethany Spielman (1st season)
Choreographers: Tori Brindis (5th season), Peyton Bellman (1st season), Marah Cover (1st season), Erik Hayes (1st season)
Competition Schedule: Feb. 8 - Tantasqua; Mar. 22 - Andover; Apr. 5 - Waltham
One of the youngest groups on this list, West Street Singers are only entering its fifth season of existence. Bethany Spielman is taking the reins as the head director of the group, coming all the way from California to replace founding director Kate Burns. Despite its youth, West Street has gained a reputation for being one of the best small mixed choirs in New England. With a new director and a couple of new additions to the choreography team, it looks like Natick is primed to keep building on that. - Michael James Breen, New England Contributor
2024 #30 Ranked Choir: Whiteland “Rhythm Masters” (3rd in Indiana)
2025 Director: Garrett Godsey (5th season)
Choreographers: Zack Triscari (3rd season) and Grace Pacheco (2nd season)
Competition Schedule: Feb. 1 - Decatur Central; Feb. 8 - Pike; Feb. 22 - Franklin Community; Mar. 1 - Warren Central; Mar. 15 - Lawrence Central; Mar. 22 - ISSMA
Last year, Whiteland saw their best season following the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. Rhythm Masters took home two grand championships and placed in the top two in every small division they entered. At Ben Davis, Whiteland outplaced two large groups, including Decatur Central and Franklin Community. This year, Whiteland will stick to the Indianapolis metro for the first time since 2021 looking to continue their small division excellence. Additionally, Whiteland has set aside the fourth week of March for ISSMA finals. If they qualify, that would be their first appearance at state since 2018. - Nathan Ensley, Associate Editor
2024 #31 Ranked Choir: Linn-Mar “In Step” (13th in Iowa)
2025 Director: Sarah Anderson (7th season)
Choreographers: Braxton Carr (3rd season), Lexi Robson Buglewicz (10th season), and Megan Callahan (1st season)
Competition Schedule: Jan. 18- hosting; Jan. 25- Johnston; Feb. 1- Prairie; Feb. 15- Chesterton; Feb. 22- Cedar Rapids Jefferson
Linn-Mar’s prep choir is no stranger to being a finals-worthy group, appearing in finals at three of their four competitions last season and competing as a 4A mixed group at Pella, where they placed third overall. Looking ahead, there is little doubt that there will once again be consistent finals performances from them. This year, their program will be making the trip to Indiana to compete at Chesterton, where they will see nine other small mixed groups from around the Midwest. In Step will end their season at Cedar Rapids Jefferson, where they may compete as a 4A choir and challenge for an overall podium spot. - Ava Sammons, Iowa Contributor
2024 #32 Ranked Choir: Sullivan “Singers” (1st in Illinois)
2025 Director: Heather Pistorius (2nd season)
Choreographers: To Be Announced
Competition Schedule: To Be Announced
Another director change came to Sullivan in 2024, as former Mt. Zion assistant director Heather Pistorious took the reins following Tyler Henderson’s departure to Northwest Rankin in Mississippi. A couple changes ensued, as Pistorius dropped Singers down to festival mixed and the annual Invitational was cancelled due to school renovations. The move down to festival mixed paid large dividends, as Singers competed well in division and made finals three times. Assuming the group benefits from additional stability in 2025, Sullivan is poised to run the table for Illinois festival mixed in 2025. - William Soquet, Editor-in-Chief
2024 #33 Ranked Choir: Pendleton Heights “Pendletones” (4th in Indiana)
2025 Director: Erin Archer (8th season)
Choreographers: Eric J. Hayes Jr. (15th season), Marah Cover (10th season)
Competition Schedule: Will be announced January 1, 2025
Pendleton is a great contender in the small mixed Indiana circuit, being especially consistent in their visuals. Among Indianapolis-area groups, they were arguably second in the category all year last year, right behind Roncalli. Four division wins in seven competitions (with three second-place finishes) is hard to improve upon, especially in the cutthroat Indiana small mixed division, Pendletones will aim to do just that in 2025. - William Soquet, Editor-in-Chief
2024 #34 Ranked Choir: New Castle “Red Hot Blues” (5th in Indiana)
2025 Director: Ethan Hutchison (2nd season)
Choreographer: Caitlin Lammers (8th season)
Competition Schedule: Jan. 24 - Ball State; Feb. 8 - Carroll; Feb. 15 - DeKalb; Feb. 21 - Franklin Central; Mar. 15 - Lawrence Central; Mar. 22 - Noblesville
Coming out of one of New Castle’s most successful seasons, this group for sure has some exciting competition in the 2025 season. With 3 of their competition lineups already posted, predictions coming in are leaning towards very successful outcomes with the Red Hot Blues. There are no signs of this group losing momentum, and only signs of growth for this group. This choir is for sure to be watched during this upcoming season. - Justin Ternet, Fort Wayne Contributor
2024 #35 Ranked Choir: Austin “Dimensions” (6th in Indiana)
After the retirement of longtime director Kathy Sego, Austin is taking a pause from competition. Dimensions and its middle school counterpart Adrenaline may be on stage at some point in the future, but it won’t be in 2025. - William Soquet, Editor-in-Chief
2024 #36 Ranked Choir: Esperanza “Reverberation” (1st in California)
Director: Michael Klein (2nd season)
Choreographers: Amanda Richardson (2nd season), Erik Hall (2nd season)
Competition Schedule: Feb. 22 - hosting; Mar. 1 - Burbank; Mar. 8 - Hart; Mar. 15 - Los Alamitos; Mar. 29 - Oceanside
Esperanza’s program has really burst into the scene in the last few years. They’ve put together an Avengers-level team consisting of choreography from titans Amanda Richardson and Erik Hall with assistance from Anna Giron, as well as show design from the legendary Hannah Johnson of Linn-Mar and Waukee Northwest fame and former Bonita Vista director Michael Klein. They will also be approaching the third year of their annual competition. All this amazing growth has led to dominance in the novice division, including a pair firsts and a second place in their 2024 season. - Chris Mendoza, California Contributor
2024 #37 Ranked Choir: Wahoo “Royalty” (1st in Nebraska)
2025 Director: Leighton Ware (3rd season)
Choreographers: Ben Eklund (2nd season) and Melissa Eklund (2nd season)
Competition Schedule: Jan. 18 - Ralston; Jan. 25 - Hastings (NE); Feb. 8 - Lincoln Southwest; Feb. 15 - Gretna East; Feb. 22 - hosting; Mar. 1 - Lincoln Northeast; Mar. 8 - Emmetsburg
Wahoo has been a rising group since they became under the direction of Leighton Ware, and they proved to be unstoppable this past season in the state of Nebraska. This small yet mighty group has shown that they were a strong competitor at their competitions, scoring a finals placement at four out of the five competitions they went to. Royalty has shown clear growth within this past season, and that will continue to grow onto the next as they travel to their next destinations in 2025. - Arte Reed, Nebraska/Iowa Contributor
2024 #38 Ranked Choir: Tift County “Eighth Street Singing Company” (1st in Georgia)
2025 Director: Kyle Robinson (1st season as head director)
Choreographers: To Be Announced
Competition Schedule: To Be Announced
For a group stuck between being a large, ultra-competitive group and middle-sized, wild-card group, Tift County had a solid 2024 season. Although ESSC did let their girls group, Ladies Choice, take what would have been their lone Grand Championship of the season, Eighth Street still managed to garner a first runner-up and two second runner-up placements this past season. With head director Scott Rains now in retirement, Kyle Robinson will step up to head director and lead Tift into the future, starting in 2025. - Tony Holeman, Southern Contributor
2024 #39 Ranked Choir: Van Meter “Vocal Locomotion” (14th in Iowa)
2025 Director: Heather Lindell (7th season)
Choreographers: To Be Announced
Competition Schedule: Jan. 18 - Benton; Feb. 8 - Norwalk; Feb. 22 - Spirit Lake
Just located twenty minutes away from Des Moines, Van Meter is a small yet mighty team that proved their worth in the previous season. While they compete as a 2A show choir, Vocal Locomotion had excellent results against 3A choirs such as Spirit Lake and Denison at North Polk, and got second place in Small School finals at North Polk. Vocal Locomotion had multiple encounters with Emmetsburg and were able to score two wins over them at Spirit Lake and Atlantic. This small choir is growing and improving from year to year, so they will be one to look out for in 2025. - Arte Reed, Nebraska/Iowa Contributor
2024 #40 Ranked Choir: Jefferson “Pop Singers” (6th in West Virginia)
2025 Director: Hannah Kelvington-Myers (7th season)
Choreographers: Danielle Danson (5th season)
Competition Schedule: Feb. 8 - Twinsburg; Feb. 22 - Robert C. Byrd; Mar. 22 - Powhatan; Mar. 29 - Martinsburg
Nestled up in the panhandle of West Virginia, Jefferson is in one of the more unique geographical situations for show choirs in America. After seeing moderate success in 2023, Pop Singers made a name for itself in 2024 when they not only made finals at Twinsburg but finished fourth. That was followed up by a runner-up finish overall at Martinsburg and a second in division at States. Now squarely on the radar of everyone in West Virginia, Jefferson will again start the season with a trip to Cleveland before competing around Virginia and West Virginia. - William Soquet, Editor-in-Chief
2024 #41 Ranked Choir: Warrensburg “Soundwave” (2nd in Missouri)
2025 Director: Chad Ray (5th season)
Choreographers: To Be Announced
Competition Schedule: Jan. 25 - Pleasant Hill; Feb. 8 - Smith-Cotton; Feb. 15 - Harrisonville; Feb. 22 - Rock Bridge; Mar. 1 - Carthage
Last season, Soundwave had one of the quietest four-finals seasons that a group could probably have. Holding down the 4A division in the western part of the state alongside groups like Harrisonville, Warrensburg never missed finals when they were offered in 2024 and did well in its ‘home’ circuit, finding most of its success in the Kansas City and Columbia areas. However, a trip to southwest Missouri resulted in second overall at Carthage, a crowning achievement for the group. Now in his fifth season at the helm, Chad Ray has assembled another busy schedule for Soundwave with plenty of opportunities to shine in 2025. - William Soquet, Editor-in-Chief
2024 #42 Ranked Choir: South Jones “Company” (1st in Mississippi)
2025 Director: Austin Perkins (5th season)
Choreographer: Ben Schrank (9th season)
Competition Schedule: Feb. 1 - hosting; Feb. 8 - Northeast Jones; Feb 15 - West Jones; Feb. 22 - Petal; Mar. 1 - Oak Grove; Mar. 8 - Biloxi; Mar. 29 - Brandon
South Jones was one of the most improved groups in the South last season, having won their division twice and making finals three times out of their four competitions (in which they placed fourth overall at each). This is in contrast to the previous season, in which South Jones only won their division once. In every year he has been director, Austin Perkins has had his group steadily improve from the season before, and everyone at South Jones don’t seem to be slowing down as Perkins approaches his fourth competing season. - Tony Holeman, Southern Contributor
2024 #43 Ranked Choir: Mt. Vernon “Vocal Motion” (3rd in Missouri)
2025 Director: April McBane (8th season)
Choreographer: Zachary Pettit (10th season)
Competition Schedule: Jan. 25 - hosting; Feb. 8 - Joplin; Feb. 15 - Neosho; Feb. 22 - Nevada; Mar. 1 - Carthage; Mar. 8 - Webb City
Vocal Motion was a bulwark of the small-school scene in southwest Missouri last season, capturing division wins in all but one of its competitions. Featuring a stable leadership team of April McBaine at director and Zachary Pettit at choreographer, Mt. Vernon consistently bested several other 3A groups last season, including El Dorado Springs, East Newton, and Seneca. When the group advanced to finals, they carried even more weight, beating 4A groups, womens groups, and prep groups. Look for more of the same in 2025. - William Soquet, Editor-in-Chief
2024 #44 Ranked Choir: Capital “Voices in Perfection” (7th in West Virginia)
2025 Director: Leslie Riedel (7th season)
Choreographer: Jason Johnson (7th season)
Competition Schedule: To Be Announced (confirmed for Poca on February 22)
Capital was one of many middle mixed groups in West Virginia that found success in 2024. VIPs made finals at Hurricane, Sissonville and the inaugural Herbert Hoover River Classic, and also came out on top of the festival division at States. With a performance at Kanawha County Swing Sing already under its belt and a cohesive director-choreographer team that’s in year number seven together, the VIPS are in prime position to once again contend in middle mixed and perhaps play spoiler to some of the larger groups. - William Soquet, Editor-in-Chief
2024 #45 Ranked Choir: Emmetsburg “High Voltage” (15th in Iowa)
2025 Director: Brandt Roskens (5th season)
Choreographers: To Be Announced
Competition Schedule: Feb. 1 - Sioux Falls Roosevelt; Feb. 8 - Sioux Center; Feb. 15 - North Polk; Feb. 22 - Spirit Lake; Mar. 1 - Atlantic; Mar. 8 - hosting
The highlight of High Voltage’s 2024 season was winning the small school finals at North Polk in mid-February. Emmetsburg beat multiple 3A choirs (including Spirit Lake) and other 2A choirs like Van Meter to take home the gold. Besides that, High Voltage had a good season for a 2A group, taking third in an overall small division at Sioux Falls Roosevelt. High Voltage will be running close to home in 2025, taking on a new northwest Iowa competition at Sioux Center. A schedule like that is ripe for success. - William Soquet, Editor-in-Chief
2024 #46 Ranked Choir: Edgewood “Music Warehouse” (7th in Indiana)
2025 Director: Brian Paulsen (12th season)
Choreographers: Eric J. Hayes Jr. (4th season), Marah Cover (4th season)
Competition Schedule: Jan. 25 - Ball State; Feb. 1 - Southmont; Feb. 8 - hosting; Feb. 15 - Center Grove; Feb 22 - Franklin Community; Mar. 1 - South Dearborn; Mar. 15 - Churubusco
Edgewood continues to be a strong contender in the Indiana small mixed circuit, with first and second places across their five in state competitions in that division last year. Their schedule remains about as challenging as last year with faceoffs against most of Indiana’s best small mixed groups, including 2023 state champion Roncalli, who they did not face last year. - Nathan Ensley, Associate Editor
2024 #47 Ranked Choir: Hanover “Sound FX” (2nd in Virginia)
2025 Director: Grayson Parker (1st season)
Choreographer: Austin Rosenberg (2nd season)
Competition Schedule: Feb. 22 - Thomas Dale; Mar. 1 - hosting; Mar. 8 - Cosby; Mar. 15 - Manchester; Mar. 22 - Powhatan
Once a large mixed titan in Virginia, Hanover slowly fell to small mixed before the pandemic. Erin Dixon took over as director after the pandemic and finally gave the group some positive momentum, which culminated in SFX sweeping its slate of four competitions last year. Dixon departed after 2024 and is now a graduate student at Louisiana State University, and Mechanicsville and James Madison University grad Grayson Parker is now at the helm of the program. Hanover should be in the driver’s seat to run the table in small mixed once again this season. - William Soquet, Editor-in-Chief
2024 #48 Ranked Choir: Churubusco “New Era” (8th in Indiana)
2025 Directors: Ryan Dawson (7th season) and Missy Baughman (12th season)
Choreographers: Jason Johnson (22nd season) and Shane Coe (10th season)
Competition Schedule: To Be Announced
Churubusco has long been a staple of the Fort Wayne circuit. They came out swinging in 2024 against groups that previously stood in their way. The resilience and ambition of this group is shown by their willingness to compete up in the large division despite being a small school. Known for their creative show design and competitive vocals, this group is sure to do well in the 2025 season, wherever they wind up going. -AJ Prentice, Fort Wayne Writer
2024 #49 Ranked Choir: Bradley Central “Vocal Motion” (1st in Tennessee)
2025 Director: Joshua Dasher (7th season)
Choreographers: To Be Announced
Competition Schedule: To Be Announced
The season only got better as it went on for Vocal Motion in 2024. After a fourth in middle mixed at Homewood, Bradley Central won the small mixed division at Donelson Christian before erupting for third overall at Hamilton in Ohio. With Nashville and Birmingham both just under three hours away from Cleveland, Tennessee, there is never really a ‘home’ competition for Vocal Motion. Wherever the group competes in 2025, there is a very real probability that they play spoiler to some of the more well-known middle mixed groups in the South, Ohio, or somewhere else. - William Soquet, Editor-in-Chief
2024 #50 Ranked Choir: Springfield “IN Session” (2nd in Illinois)
2025 Name: District 186 “Collage”
Director: Chrissy Mauck (1st season)
Choreographers: To Be Announced
Competition Schedule: To Be Announced
In 2024, the Steven Robinson-led IN Session had another fine season for a small group, making finals at Keokuk and Quincy. However, the off-season brought changes in nearly every aspect of the program. Chrissy Mauck, whose credentials include a stint at Carmel as assistant director and time at Paxton-Buckley-Loda, is now leading up a revamped program called Collage. Billed as the continuation of the legacy of all three Springfield high school show choir groups - IN Session, Springfield Southeast Sensations, and Lanphier Lion’s Pride, Collage will likely be a festival mixed group again. Where they compete and how they do is totally up in the air. - William Soquet, Editor-in-Chief