A run to regionals for a Jordan High School a cappella group has come to an end, but it did not come home without any hardware.
The group placed second out of 10 at its quarterfinal and advanced to the Great Lakes regional semifinal at the Pabst Theater in Milwaukee. While the group didn’t place in the semifinals, ending its season, Harmonix did win the award for outstanding choreography for a fourth time. The group has won that award every year it’s competed in the semifinals.
The International Championship of High School A Cappella is the main a cappella competition in the country for high schools. The competition is run by Varsity Vocals, which also has a collegiate-level competition and a general competition for a cappella groups of all ages. Winners of the ICHSA semifinals get to perform at the Town Hall Theater in New York.
According to Katie McKnight, the choir director at Jordan High School, over 100 groups sent in audition tapes to the Great Lakes region. Only 50 groups make the cut and are then spread over five quarterfinal locations; the top two at a quarterfinal then get to the semifinals.
Unlike many other high school-level competitions, there isn’t an adjustment for school size. Small schools compete against large schools that can have student populations of thousands of students. Harmonix is one of the smallest schools that compete in this competition. Lakeville South, which placed first in Jordan’s quarterfinal section, has over double the enrollment.
Even though Harmonix is among the smallest programs, McKnight is proud of her students.
“It’s impressive that they’re able to make that big of a mark, seeing that they’re competing against some really big schools,” McKnight said. “So much of this comes from their passion and dedication and creativity, and I’m very grateful that I’m able to give these kids a space to really shine.”
Harmonix is one of three co-curricular a cappella ensembles at Jordan High School. They meet twice a week before school and are mainly run by the students. The students pick the music and soloists and also do the choreography. McKnight still directs and helps them rehearse.
“I’m still the director and help guide the students to where they want to go,” McKnight said. “But they pick out the music and I write arrangements for them that fit their ability levels.”
McKnight does a lot of the arranging for the other a cappella choirs at the high school. In addition to Harmonix, which is the women’s choir, there is also Men’s Ensemble and Chamber Singers, a co-ed a cappella choir. Students in any grade, so long as they’re in band or choir, are eligible to audition in the fall for the choirs.
Even with the end of its competition season, Harmonix will still be performing at choir concerts and other gigs through the end of the school year as it starts to work on next year’s competition repertoire.
