Heart of America improves scores at district contest
| Type of post: | Chorus news item |
| Sub-type: | No sub-type |
| Posted By: | John Braden |
| Status: | Current |
| Date Posted: | Thu, Oct 26 2023 |
The Heart of America Chorus faced a tougher field in the Central States District Fall Convention Oct. 13-14 than it had faced in the previous CSD Spring convention in the small chorus contest. Yet the chorus bettered its spring score, making strides in Musicality and Singing categories of judging.
"I said when I started directing HOA that as long as we are making progress, then I am happy," Director Carter Combs said. "After this weekend, I am ecstatic!"
With 30 men on stage at the Lawrence fall contest, HOA was able to compete in the larger Plateau III Chorus Championships for choruses of 30 and larger. HOA came in ninth with a total average of 68.2 points.
On March 18, in a smaller field at spring contest in Iowa City, Iowa, with only 23 on stage, HOA had scored an overall average of 66.2 to come in second overall and win the Plateau II Chorus Championship for choruses of between 20 and 29 singers on stage.
Combs said he was more than thrilled by HOA's improved scores. The Musicality score increased nearly 7 points, to 68.8 from 62 in the spring, while the Singing score increased more than 4 points to 68.3 from 64 in the spring. Only Performance scores dipped, from (a surprising) 72.5 in the spring to 67.5 in the fall. Chorus members did not catch on to the fall visual plan as quickly as hoped.
Combs said when the chorus left the stage after its set, he knew it had accomplished much of what they were trying to do.
"It takes concentrated effort and dedication to raise scores as much as we did, especially in the short six months since our last contest, and our chorus stepped up and proved we are motivated to continue to improve," he said.
Chapter President Mike Schumacher said he had really looked forward to the chorus contest on Saturday.
"I knew we had some serious competition but all I wanted was our opportunity to show the district how much HOA has grown in personnel and in our musical performance," he said.
As in years past, Schumacher said, the time on stage went by too fast.
"However, I enjoyed myself and felt less stressed about our performance than I have felt in a long time," he added. "This was my first contest singing tenor on both songs. All I have to do now is sing baritone next year and the cycle of all four parts would be complete -- probably not going to happen."
Combs said the Friday night practice Schumacher led (while Combs was in quartet evaluations) was effective in preparing the chorus.
"We had a brief set of warm-up exercises and then we talked through both songs reviewing the choreography," Schumacher said. "Reminders were given about where we were going to start soft so we could grow in intensity and volume but not getting out of control."
After an hour or so, Combs came in and took the chorus through both songs, working on key phrases and making sure they were ready.
"I was very thrilled that we surprised Carter with the way we were singing," Schumacher said.
Schumacher said the chorus' placement in the contest did not affect him at all.
"I was very proud of singing with all our guys and I am looking forward to all the singing opportunities we have coming up," he said.
"I said when I started directing HOA that as long as we are making progress, then I am happy," Director Carter Combs said. "After this weekend, I am ecstatic!"
With 30 men on stage at the Lawrence fall contest, HOA was able to compete in the larger Plateau III Chorus Championships for choruses of 30 and larger. HOA came in ninth with a total average of 68.2 points.
On March 18, in a smaller field at spring contest in Iowa City, Iowa, with only 23 on stage, HOA had scored an overall average of 66.2 to come in second overall and win the Plateau II Chorus Championship for choruses of between 20 and 29 singers on stage.
Combs said he was more than thrilled by HOA's improved scores. The Musicality score increased nearly 7 points, to 68.8 from 62 in the spring, while the Singing score increased more than 4 points to 68.3 from 64 in the spring. Only Performance scores dipped, from (a surprising) 72.5 in the spring to 67.5 in the fall. Chorus members did not catch on to the fall visual plan as quickly as hoped.
Combs said when the chorus left the stage after its set, he knew it had accomplished much of what they were trying to do.
"It takes concentrated effort and dedication to raise scores as much as we did, especially in the short six months since our last contest, and our chorus stepped up and proved we are motivated to continue to improve," he said.
Chapter President Mike Schumacher said he had really looked forward to the chorus contest on Saturday.
"I knew we had some serious competition but all I wanted was our opportunity to show the district how much HOA has grown in personnel and in our musical performance," he said.
As in years past, Schumacher said, the time on stage went by too fast.
"However, I enjoyed myself and felt less stressed about our performance than I have felt in a long time," he added. "This was my first contest singing tenor on both songs. All I have to do now is sing baritone next year and the cycle of all four parts would be complete -- probably not going to happen."
Combs said the Friday night practice Schumacher led (while Combs was in quartet evaluations) was effective in preparing the chorus.
"We had a brief set of warm-up exercises and then we talked through both songs reviewing the choreography," Schumacher said. "Reminders were given about where we were going to start soft so we could grow in intensity and volume but not getting out of control."
After an hour or so, Combs came in and took the chorus through both songs, working on key phrases and making sure they were ready.
"I was very thrilled that we surprised Carter with the way we were singing," Schumacher said.
Schumacher said the chorus' placement in the contest did not affect him at all.
"I was very proud of singing with all our guys and I am looking forward to all the singing opportunities we have coming up," he said.
