I think Los Alamitos will take home the Chip this year. Sound FX is the advanced mixed show choir of Los Alamitos High School in California. This audition-only group is known for its high-level performances, featuring specially designed sets, top-tier choreography, and intricate vocal arrangements. Members of Sound FX commit to daily classes and additional weekly rehearsals to maintain their competitive edge.
Over the years, Sound FX has achieved significant accolades. In 2024, they secured first place at both the John Burroughs Music Showcase and the Oceanside Sound-Off!, earning awards for Musicianship, Showmanship, Best Choreography, Best Tech Crew, and Best Soloists.
The choir's success is bolstered by a dedicated creative team, including choreographers April James, Heather Hoppus, and Cara Jennings, as well as arranger Josh Greene. Their combined expertise contributes to the unique and memorable performances that define Sound FX.
I totally agree Mr. Pork. Los Al is quite literally the most glorious, fantastical, whimsical experience I've layed my eyes upon within my 12 years of existence. The way they move in complete tandem and bring an unparalleled professionalism to stage is untouched, and I absolutely can't wait to see again the experience that is, ladies and gentlemen, Los Alamitos Sound FX.
Predictions!
GC: Los Alamitos "Sound Fx" BC
1st: Carmel "Ambassadors" BV
2nd: Zionsville "Royalaires" BB
3rd: Petal "Soundsations"
4th: Daniel Hand "VIBE"
5th: Olentangy "Keynotes"
If anyone has anything to share let me know!
Can anyone tell me which groups are eligible for best band at Nationals this year, and if they award a best band overall or one for each division? It's my understanding not all schools use a student band?
Only student bands are eligible. That for sure knocks out Los Alamitos, who hires professionals, and Auburn, who uses Auburn University kids. All schools are judged, but the points for best band are not applied to the show choir placements. Can’t speak to any other group as I’m not as familiar with their programs.
Petal I think hires professionals, but I honestly don’t know. They do have a renowned band program, so I wouldn’t be surprised if it was students.
That’s surprising. Carmel has the top band program in the country. Not sure how many of those kids are also in choir, WGI, or indoor percussion. Their high school band practically is a professional ensemble.
It's really only going to be available live? That's kind of frustrating especially considering the prices being charged. I'll be there in person but was looking forward to buying the streams to rewatch afterward.
Hi Violet,
That’s so great that you’ll be attending in person. It's going to be such an incredible experience! I totally understand wanting to rewatch the performances later. We really struggled with the decision to charge for the livestream, but the Grand Ole Opry (not SCN) charges a really tremendous amount. We knew going into this that we’d probably take a loss, but we also knew how much this competition means to people, and we couldn’t imagine not giving everyone the chance to experience it, even if they can’t be there in person. When we were in school this was our favorite!
We’re really trying to keep it as affordable as possible! $60 for all three days is 33% less than the in-person ticket, and for a professionally produced livestream at such an iconic venue, we hope it feels like a fair deal.
Also, just to clarify what JDcritt mentioned. There actually will not be numerous videos posted to YouTube. Because of the investment we’ve made to make this a high-quality production, other recordings won’t be allowed. We’re putting so much into this because we love this competition and know how special it is to our community.
Thank you so much for your support!! It really means a lot to us. We’re doing this because we care about the performers and the fans, and we hope it’s something you’ll be proud to be part of! ??
I don't think the price is too much to charge necessarily; after all, I'd planned to pay it when I thought I'd be able to watch after getting back home. I'm just bummed that it will only be available if you watch it live, especially considering that mixed prelims are during a workday when a lot of people who would otherwise pay to watch will be at work or at school.
I also understand why you're not allowing other recordings, but I feel that not allowing people to buy the recordings from you further restricts who will be able to see these amazing performances to only those who can be there in person or whose schedule allows them to watch live. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the vast majority of these kids and I know most of them and their families would treasure being able to have copies.
Is there any way you would consider selling downloads of the competition? I'm sure it's expensive to preserve the recordings online, but even if you only offered them for download for a week or two afterward, I imagine you'd sell enough to make it worth it. I would absolutely pay to be able to rewatch my senior get to sing, dance, and play his viola on the Opry Stage and I'm sure most parents would if they're made aware of the opportunity.
Violet you are absolutely preaching to the choir. no pun intended. I totally get why you’d want to be able to rewatch it later, and honestly, I wish we could make that happen. But the truth is, copyright issues, especially with Tresona, make selling recordings really tricky. They’ve gone after situations like this before, and we’d hate to get into trouble that could stop us from being able to livestream events like this in the future.
We’ve also learned over the years that it’s best to let the directors decide what to do with their group’s videos. Some are totally fine with posting them online, others have asked us to take videos down before. To keep things simple and respectful, we just send a copy of each group’s performance directly to the director after the event, and it’s up to them if they want to share it.
I know it’s not the same as being able to hit “replay,” but we really hope the livestream gives everyone a chance to experience the beauty of this event as it happens. This is such a huge moment for these kids, and we’re just so excited to be able to share it live from the Opry.
Thanks so much for understanding. seriously, it means a lot that you care so much about this.
Over the years, Sound FX has achieved significant accolades. In 2024, they secured first place at both the John Burroughs Music Showcase and the Oceanside Sound-Off!, earning awards for Musicianship, Showmanship, Best Choreography, Best Tech Crew, and Best Soloists.
The choir's success is bolstered by a dedicated creative team, including choreographers April James, Heather Hoppus, and Cara Jennings, as well as arranger Josh Greene. Their combined expertise contributes to the unique and memorable performances that define Sound FX.