On Saturday, Jan. 17, more than 1,000 talented high-school musicians—singers, dancers, instrumentalists—performed for a sell-out crowd at the Lied Center for Performing Arts for the Glenn Korff School of Music’s 2015 Midwest Cup Show Choir Invitational.
Surrounded by peers in an attitude of supportive competition, this adjudicated event provided students, ensemble members and directors with the opportunity to deliver outstanding, high-energy shows while receiving constructive comments on how to continue to advance in their art. Show choir is a blended art of vocal and instrumental music, along with intense choreography, costuming and some set design.
At the end of the evening, only one school was able to take home the six-foot-tall Grand Champion trophy (Millard West - West In the Groove; directed by UNL alumnus Zack Bjornson), but every school participating created impressive music and performed moving, engaging shows. Every year, the ensembles improve and the competition increases.
The Midwest Cup Show Choir Invitational was founded early in the tenure of Professor Peter Eklund, the Director of Choral Activities, who joined the faculty in 1998. Eklund also founded the Big Red Singers Show Choir, an auditioned performing ensemble whose members serve as hosts and staffing for the event.
“This is a superb opportunity for high school musicians of the highest quality to have positive interactions with collegiate students who demonstrate excellence in show choir at the next level,” said Scott Rieker, the director of Big Red Singers and the coordinator of the event. “Big Red Singers provide wonderful role models throughout the day and through their interaction with the participants, and I am very proud of the work they’ve put in for the last five months to make the Midwest Cup a reality. We are looking forward to seeing many of these students again at the Nebraska Show Choir Camp in June.”
Schools participating included: Ankeny High School, Grand Island Northwest High School, Lincoln East High School, Lincoln Northeast High School, Lincoln Southwest High School, Mercy High School, Millard West High School, Norris High School, Pius X Catholic High School and Warrensburg High School.