Center Grove choirs win trio of awards at invitational

A trio of Center Grove High School choirs swept awards this weekend at the Fishers Silver Spotlight Choir Invitational.

The Debtones choir won Best Vocals and Best Visuals in the unisex division; Center Grove Sound System was named Grand Champion and also took home Best Visuals and Best Vocals in the large mixed division; and the Center Grove Singers won the concert choir division.

The competition featured choirs from about 10 different schools throughout Indiana. While the Singers performed a medley of different styles of music, the Debtones and Sound System both produced visual aspects to accompany their performances. The Debtones, for example, used the visual of a beehive with a queen bee. The visual of the bees provided a backdrop to their performances of Queen songs, such as “Don’t Stop Me Now” and “Fat Bottomed Girls,” said Jared Norman, director of the Debtones.

A screen in the background of the Sound System’s performance showed various artwork that matched up with the songs they sang. In one part of the performance, for instance, photos of national parks taken by photographer Ansel Adams were displayed on a screen as the choir performed “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong, said Abby Green, a senior and a member of Center Grove Sound System and Center Grove Singers.

“At Center Grove, we’re very adamant about keeping a legacy going and showing everyone we perform to how much work goes into it,” Green said. “Getting recognized with best vocals, visuals and overall Grand Champions, we take that very seriously. We were very honored.”

The three choirs include about 100 students combined. To prepare for the showcase, students rehearsed after school for two to three hours a day, four to five times a week. Students’ perseverance despite a hybrid schedule and the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic shows a deep dedication to the craft, Norman said.

“I think it really shows their determination and resilience,” Norman said. “We’re making sure the students are healthy and safe. They have masks on in competition and all our rehearsals. It shows dedication to the program and the colleagues they perform with. While singing and dancing, their masks are on and never come off in the performance. It’s kind of amazing we can hear them and the sound they produce.”

The three choirs will perform next at the Best of the Midwest competition Feb. 20 at Center Grove.