Last weekend, several choirs from across the U.S. traveled to Chicago, Ill. to compete in a the Heritage Music Festival. Bel Canto and Concert Choir groups Geoff, Midori, and Chamber Choir made the trip.

Mr. Philip Brown, Music, accompanied his students on the trip. Besides singing, the groups were able to do some sightseeing in Chicago; they saw a Broadway play, visited the Willis Tower, went to Medieval Times, and did some shopping downtown.

“The kids had a good time,” Brown said. “It was a nice balance of singing and fun, tourist activities.”

As for the competition, HHS swept the competition, taking first place in each category that they were in and winning all of the overall awards.

“They work hard. There are high expectations set. If we sang great and took last, we’d still feel great that we did the best we could on that day,” Brown said.

This is the seventh time that the choirs have gone on tour since Brown started teaching at HHS, switching each year between attending regional and national competitions. Out of these seven performances, they’ve taken the grand championship – winning everything – six times. In last year’s competition in Florida, HHS choirs were ranked first, second, and third overall out of 100 choirs.

For many of the students, this year was their first time competing.

“It showed me that all the work we put in over months and months was worth it,” said Mosey Krelitz, senior. “It felt good to perform for people who appreciated our music and hard work.”

To prepare for big concerts like these, students in the elite choirs are required to attend lots of practices. This means waking up early several times a week to for rehearsals before school.

“It was amazing. It honestly felt like all the crazy early mornings finally paid off for something. I’ve never seen so many people that happy,” said Josie McLellan, senior.

Win or lose, Brown simply enjoys improving his students’ skills each year. No matter whether the choir wins or loses, Brown views these performances as opportunities for reflection on areas of strength and weakness alike.

“It’s fun to see their genuine joy. I’m proud of them and all the work they did,” Brown said.