GOSHEN — Goshen area music groups are often among the top in the state. This week, four of them are.
Goshen High School’s choir, orchestra and concert band all qualified for the state finals to be held this Saturday in Indianapolis, making the school one of only two in the state to have three music groups in the finals and the only school in the state to have top groups in choir, orchestra, concert band and marching band.
Fairfield Junior-Senior High School’s advanced choir also advanced to the state finals event, the only other choir from the northern regional to advance based on scores from the other four regional sites. The event is open class, meaning all schools compete regardless of size.
“It’s important to get out there and sing and not worry about results,” Fairfield choir director Ben Kambs said. “The size of school is not of much consequence if you have committed choir students. We are very fortunate to have a very musical community that gets behind what we’re trying to do.”
For Fairfield this is the third trip to state in as many years and Kambs is hoping to better their ninth-place finish last year.
Goshen’s Advanced Crimson Choir has been to state consistently the past 20 years and holds three state championships, the most recent in 2010. The group was state runner-up last year.
“We keep a consistent top program because our kids just really aspire to that,” choir director Marcia Yost said. “They keep the bar high for each other as well. The students know what it takes and know what they’re working for.”
The Symphonic Orchestra is hoping to erase the memories of last year, when an issue getting students onto the stage in time left them two points away from an eighth straight trip to the state finals.
The group had the top score at the Chesterton regional site last weekend.
“We are very excited,” director Susan Ellington said. “This gives us the opportunity to take one more week with our music, move it up another notch and share it with the audiences in Indianapolis.”
Goshen’s band students will make a second trip to a state finals competition this year, having advanced to the state marching band finals in November.
“It’s an honor to be there,” director Tom Cox said of the Wind Ensemble’s trip to concert band finals. “The fact we’ve made it the last six years is a testament to our kids.”
The Wind Ensemble finished in the bottom half of the 16 concert bands competing last year.
Cox said they will use the comments they received at the regional competition in preparing for Saturday.
“There is no finish line in music,” he said. “We’re just going to try to have a great performance.”
If you want to watch the music groups perform at state
- The Treble/Men’s choirs will perform at the Pike Performing Arts Center (Indianapolis) Friday from 7 to 9:35 p.m. The concert bands will perform Saturday at the Lawrence Central High School auditorium (Indianapolis) from 8:45 a.m. until 7:15 p.m. The eight orchestras will perform Saturday at the Pike Performing Arts Center from 8:45 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. The mixed choirs will perform Saturday at the Pike Performing Arts Center from 2 to 7:10 p.m. The public is invited to attend. Admission is $5.
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