Totino-Grace show choir wins national accolades

Totino-Grace High School's Company of Singers has historically been an upper Midwest show choir powerhouse.

Now, it's more like a juggernaut.

The Company of Singers swept first place in the five competitions in which it participated this year, as well as taking home most of the category honors: Best female soloist, best choreography and best band, for instance.

The Company of Singers took home top honors in March at the Fame National Show Choir Cup competition in Chicago.

And it placed first in two of three categories in a national show choir poll and third in another poll.

So, how many show choirs are there nationwide? "Hundreds and hundreds," said Terry Voss, choir director for the Fridley school.

In Minnesota, they range from established outfits like Totino's to a fledgling operation like one started this year at Maple Grove High School ("It's Show Time in Maple Grove," North Extra, May 5).

"We keep it for a year, then pass it on if we don't win it next year. It's kind of like the Stanley Cup of show choir competitions," Voss said, referring to the National Hockey League's top prize.

To top off the year's accomplishments, the Company of Singers almost got booked for an appearance on Oprah.

"They made a call to us," Voss said. "But then they decided on a group from Burbank, Calif."

High school show choirs create song-and-dance musical extravaganzas, almost like Broadway shows.

Not all high schools have show choirs -- in fact, many of the Twin Cities' largest high schools don't.

The Company of Singers has historically been strong. But what was it that garnered this year's troupe so many honors?

"This show has a lot of variety in it," Voss said. "At the end, we have tap dancers and two ice skaters, and the [backup] band is on stage as well in the last number. ... This group sings incredibly well, and there's the variety of the show and the dance, and it all kind of hangs together."

This year's choir has 54 singer/dancers, 14 band musicians and a stage crew of 13. Half of the choir will be lost to graduation, but Voss doesn't seem too worried.

"Half the group is seniors -- and it is every year," he said.

But how do you top a season such as this one?