This is shaping up to be a stacked competition. Sure to be a highlight of the season. Luckily, the weekend that this will be held is the only weekend in the month of March that I won't be competing or doing some choir related activity. I'd love to watch the livestream, if there's going to be one. I'd be willing to pay to watch how this one turns out.
Okay y'all can we get a list going of who will be here? After just seeing Alex post that Carmel will be coming, lawdy this might be worth a little trip ja feels?
Buffalo Grove
Carmel
Hastings
John Burroughs
Waubonsie Valley
I think you're right. I've been wanting to make the trip out to Wheaton for the past 2 years but have never gotten the chance to, but now that I'm a free man in college I might just be able to fulfill that desire this year
The Choral Classic is always a pretty prestigious event. Burbank and Clinton came in the past couple years. There weren't any real out-of-towners there last year. Anyone coming from outside the midwest this year?
I'd also heard that but I wasn't sure. If they do go, I think it'll be an interesting competition between Burroughs, Waubonsie Valley (with their new director), and any of the other amazing groups that might attend. So excited!!!!
Well, there's a pretty substantial difference between "out-of-town" and "outside the Midwest". Folks outside the Midwest don't always seem to understand the sheer size of the Midwest show choir circuit. For example, the Northeast circuit hosts about 9 competitions whereas the Midwest has ~175 competitions.
Last years Choral Classic had choirs from South Dakota, Texas, Ohio, and Alabama. I would consider Mitchell, Keller Central, Twinsburg, and Enterprise out-of-towners regardless of whether they have attended Wheaton Warrenville South in the past. Sure, Burroughs is an absolute game changer no doubt about it - rightfully so - but there's just an unbelievable amount of diversity already within the Midwest and I think folks forget about that sometimes.
Absolutely agree! When I was there in 2014, I couldn't believe the fact that most of the groups we competed against were still considered within the same region as us. Wheaton is just an absolutely brilliant place for all of these Midwestern, out-of-town to come to.
Totally agree. The Choral Classic has an excellent reputation which they have deservingly earned. And it isn't just Wheaton, several other IL competitions like Mt. Zion, Glenwood, John Hersey do a great job attracting diverse choirs.
IL is just perfectly positioned near the center of the Midwest circuit. It's pretty rare that OH/IN choirs travel beyond IL and same with IA/NE/MN choirs traveling east past IL. Some of that is due to travel budgets and state rules like what Iowa has, but ultimately Illinois gets to be this really cool melting pot.
Wheaton Warrenville South Choral Classic 2016
