Bradley, you and Hannah did a great job on the live stream. I really enjoyed your insights and opinions, and your love of show choir really showed. Thank you!
Final results are posted. Congrats to Zionsville on their showing! Really enjoyed both of their group performances. It was also my first time catching Petal's Nutcracker all season and the dancing was just pure artistry. All in all, both divisions mirrored each other in order with Zionsville, Petal, Homestead, Jenks, and Bonita Vista placing 1st-5th. Hope folks have a great time at Disney and safe travels home.
So far the Southern groups have just fallen short at the HOA competitions this year. Jackson Prep got 1st-runner up at HOA Chicago and Brandon got 1st-runner up at HOA Nashville. I think it's time a Southern group wins an HOA competition, and I think Petal just might do it here. Best of luck to both Soundsations and Innovations!
Also something interesting to note is that at both HOA Chicago and HOA Nashville, Jackson Prep and Brandon both won in choreography and show design, and the groups that beat them won in vocals. So if Petal wants to win this competition, they will have to outsing Zionsville, which will be tough, but I think it is possible.
Honestly, I think Brandon getting 2nd and best choreography at Nashville was a huge accomplishment. I know some were disappointed they didn't win. But, if you are taking captions from Center Grove, that means you've made it to the big leagues.
The thing that gets them is the vocal. Southern groups vocal production verses a Midwest group or a California group is much different. Southern groups are similar in that respect to Ohio groups. Great visuals costuming and choreo but lack that same umph vocally. Attaché being the exception most years. This becomes especially apparent when competing against Indiana groups where vocals are 60% on the score sheet. But volcals isn’t just vocal quality or production it’s also difficulty of repertoire (singing in unison or in 8 parts)
Pacing of show choice of song wow moments. Etc etc. (I have been graduated since 2008. In ancient. It took a while to understand the totality of scoring. I’m just glad shows are no longer 20+ minutes.
My fave southern groups are Grenada, Brio, Clinton, and a few others I cant Think of. So I’m not saying southern groups are bad bc I think Brio got their 2nd loss at Nashville. (Losing to attaché and sound system two of the best groups in the country? Center grove being top 5 best singing groups? That’s awesome. Senior season 2008 Central Sound lost to CG by 4 points. We were elated.) They’re great thought they’d beat attaché I’m sure it was close but attaché won the vocal.
Heart of America Orlando 2023
