Top Groups From Around the Country Finish their Season at Choral Classic

Wheaton Warrenville South The Classics perform at the Mt. Zion Midwest Invitational. PHOTO: Reggie Ramos

By Owen Miller, Illinois Contributor

One year removed from the historic 3 am finish, the Choral Classic returns this weekend with another star-studded lineup. Wheaton Warrenville South's The Classics show this year even nods to their hosting experience last season, with their large clock set piece ironically stuck at 3 am. Despite this, groups from around the country are flocking to WWS to compete one final time hoping to end their seasons on a high note. No group is safe, however, as a brutal finals cut looms once again.

Single Gender Division

Mt. Zion "You've Got Male"

Lafayette Jefferson "Expressions"

Waubonsie Valley "Resonance"

Glenwood "Titan Flame"

Omaha Westside "Simply Irresistible"

Mt. Zion "Les Femmes"

The single-gender division at WWS is wide open, with no group being a clear favorite to take it home. Les Femmes is the best Illinois group competing here, but they will have to go against good out-of-state opponents in Expressions and Simply Irresistible, each with at least one win this year. All three of those groups are good enough to win, but tough competition schedules have kept them from being great. This is the most wide-open competition field that each of these groups has seen, so each should come in with confidence, knowing they can go home with a win. Since there is no clear favorite, that also increases the hunger in groups like Waubonsie and Glenwood, who have yet to win a division this year.

Mixed Division

Lafayette Jefferson "A Capella"

Troy Buchanan "Soundwave"

Huntley "Harmonics"

Diamond Bar "Marquis"

Waubonsie Valley "Sound Check"

Troy Buchanan "Express"

Omaha Westside "Amazing Technicolor Show Choir"

Lafayette Jefferson "First Edition"

Mt. Zion "Swingsations"

Mitchell "Friend de Coup"

Glenwood "Titan Fever"

Wheaton North "Flight"

For the first time in 10 years, Mark Myers is back at the Choral Classic, a competition he has yet to lose (going six-of-six in years he competed as Waubonsie Valley's director). Myers has revived the Lafayette Jefferson program in record time, winning three of four competitions this season after going winless last year. Though Myers has a great history at WWS, this will not be a cakewalk for First Edition. ATSC comes in as the favorite, hoping to end Doran Johnson's career with a victory, followed by a hot Friend de Coup group that has won two tough competitions back-to-back. Wheaton North also flaunts an impressive resume, with their only loss this season coming to First Edition early in the year. Each of the aforementioned groups seem to be the best of the best at this competition, though groups like Troy, Mt. Zion, and Waubonsie Valley cannot be counted out to compete for those last few finals spots. Mt. Zion is hitting their stride late, and they hope to ride that momentum into their last two competitions. Diamond Bar comes in from California as a complete unknown, although they will run into several Midwest juggernauts that may prevent them from making finals.

Predictions

GC: Omaha Westside "Amazing Technicolor Show Choir" (BV)

1RU: Mitchell "Friend de Coup" (BC/BB)

2RU: Lafayette Jefferson "First Edition"

3RU: Wheaton North "Flight"

4RU: Troy Buchanan "Express"

5RU: Mt. Zion "Swingsations"

Though ATSC has dropped their last two competitions, they will be fired up to give Doran Johnson a victory to close out his legendary career at Westside. They have nearly a month off from competing, giving them plenty of time to hone their craft for one final show at WWS. However, that time off could be an issue when it comes to momentum, as they will have to deal with three very hot show choirs in Mitchell, Lafayette Jefferson, and Wheaton North, all with wins last weekend. Any of the top four groups mentioned above could pull out a win here, that is how close this contest will be when it's all said and done. Regardless of how it shapes out, it is highly unlikely that one choir sweeps all three of the major captions. Troy Buchanan, fresh off a very solid placing at Mt. Zion, and Swingsations, still riding high from a second at Glenwood, have the hot hands to round out finals.

Illinois' final competition is set to be a great one, finishing off a highly successful competition circuit throughout the state. This competition has gone back and forth on in-state winners and out-of-state winners since 2019; following the trends, this year is primed for an in-state victory. Can Flight or Swings bring it home for Illinois, or will an out-of-state winner go back-to-back for the first time in Choral Classic history? For those who cannot make it to Choral Classic, a livestream will also be available on www.wwsshowchoirs.org.