By Anne Marie Wright, Heartland contributor
As competition season in the Midwest comes to a close, the Webb City Showcase stands in its traditional end-of-season schedule spot. Hosted by Webb City Singers, Bella Voce, DoMENance, and Polyphonics, Webb City is looking quite a bit smaller this year with only 12 high school groups and seven middle school groups in attendance. With that, though, they’ve combined the high school and junior high days into one stretch of performances on Saturday. The middle school groups will take the earlier performance times, leaving the high school groups open to compete later in the morning, a huge benefit for smaller high school choirs that would normally compete in those earlier time slots.
The middle school division is looking pretty stacked this year with seven groups from all around the area. The rising stars of the Missouri middle school category, Carthage Sound Machine and Sound Intensity, will be closing out their season after an extremely successful run. Sound Machine and Sound Intensity have pretty much passed the baton back and forth with the Grand Champ titles this year; where one group takes runner up, the other takes first. Neosho Wildcat Singers has been their only consistent competition this season. Wildcat Singers has also been fairly successful this year, taking the win and sweeping at Joplin. Additionally, their girls group, Sho Stoppers, has seen some success this season. Also on the roster for this week is Nevada Future Sounds, El Dorado Springs Sound Investment, and Mt. Vernon’s brand-new junior high group, Vivid Melodies.
Three womens choirs comprise the field this year: Joplin Touch of Class, St. Thomas Aquinas Saintsations, and Nevada Treble Effects. Joplin Touch of Class is a clear standout group this weekend, having had major success this season. Most recently, they made finals and placed sixth overall at the Keller Central Lone Star Invitational in Texas, a feat that their sister choir, Sound Dimension, did not achieve.
Regular contenders East Newton Patriot Singers, El Dorado Springs Sound Collage, Hollister Blue Harmony, and Mt. Vernon Vocal Motion make up the 3A division. It looks like Vocal Motion and Blue Harmony will duke it out for the division win this week, seeing as both groups have had some major success this season. In 4A, Cassville Center Stage, McDonald County Rhapsody ‘N Rhythm, Nevada Soundsational Singers, and St. Thomas Aquinas Swingin’ Saints will all go at it. Joplin once again competes alone in the 5A division, just as they have for several years at this competition. Last year, Blue Valley came in to shake things up, sweeping the competition and helping fill out the 5A division. With Blue Valley electing not to return this year, Sound Dimension has a larger chance at recapturing their first-place status at Webb City. However, Sound Dimension has had a rough go-around this season, only making finals at Mt. Vernon and taking fifth place overall. They did not place at Neosho or Keller Central. They will have to do some serious work this weekend if they want a shot at regaining their Grand Champ title at Webb City.
In terms of final placements, there are some clear standout groups that will make finals this weekend. Both Joplin groups have high potential to make finals, and Touch of Class is a top contender for taking the overall win this weekend. They’ve done very well for themselves in competition this year, and a Grand Champ at Webb would be the cherry on top for this powerhouse choir. Sound Dimension also has potential to score well this weekend, if they can overcome whatever roadblocks have been holding them back this season. They’ve had a difficult time getting their visuals cleaned up, so if they can tighten things up and give a more choreographically refined performance, they could do very well this weekend. Also in the list of contenders for the top six is Hollister Blue Harmony, who managed to make finals at Joplin In the Spotlight and take a well-deserved division win at Mt. Vernon. Mt. Vernon Vocal Motion looks to be a heavy-hitting contender for a spot in finals after a very successful season. The lowest division placement they earned all season has been second place, and they ranked fourth overall at Carthage Soundfest last week. Vocal Motion should definitely not be underestimated, because as they’ve shown this season and several seasons before: size does not determine strength. The last two spots in finals are anyone’s game. Either of Nevada's groups or St. Thomas Aquinas Swingin’ Saints could make an appearance. Aquinas is the only group of the three with a previous finals appearance this season, placing fourth at Cameron three weeks ago.
These groups all have something to prove, and they will be sure to leave it all on the stage this weekend as most of these choirs wrap up their 2025 competition season at Webb City.
Comments