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The choir joined groups from across the nation to participate in one of the nation’s most prestigious show choir events, along with a memorable trip that involved seeing the Statue of Liberty and attending two beloved Broadway shows, “Rent” and “The Lion King.”
The Hilltopper Show Choir began its second season under the direction of Tom Munderloh in January with a fresh line-up of tunes.
“Many insights were gained this season,” said Munderloh. “Show choir has changed in the last five years because everything has gotten to such a level, from the costumes to the props to the choreography, it’s hard to compete.”
After taking home third runner-up at the Sauk Prairie Invitational and fourth runner-up at Swinging on the River in Hastings, Minn., choir members were determined to go out with a bang at the Fame event.
The students competed in two areas during their five-day trip, the show choir competition and the concert choir competition. Munderloh said the students were unfazed by the multiple events and performed exceptionally well. “Musically, we met our expectations,” Munderloh said.
The Hilltoppers took home first runner-up honors in the concert choir event and placed in the top five during the show choir event, which left them out of the finals. However, it seems that the choir’s behavior offstage made quite an impression on the staff of the Fame event.
“We were given the Fame award which is given to the group that is great onstage and offstage. The students exceeded my expectations; they were mature and respectful, and we made some great memories,” Munderloh said.
Those great memories included performing “Sing Me to Heaven” at the breathtaking Cathedral of Saint John the Divine and seeing the groundbreaking Broadway show, “Rent,” whose final curtain is set to drop in September.
On the way home, choir members created another memory for themselves and a unit of Army paratroopers shipping out for duty by spontaneously singing “Alleluia” at the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport.
Bergen Sopher, a senior member of the Hilltoppers, said that her favorite New York memory was living the high-life. “My friends and I went to the Plaza Hotel and ate dessert in the cocktail area. The dessert was $17, but it was so cool to be in the middle of this ritzy hotel with my closest friends.”
The Hilltoppers Show Choir has two more performances left, but they are strictly exhibitions. On April 13, they will perform at the annual Dinner Dance, and then the seniors in the group will get their swan song on May 9-10 at the annual Cabaret.
This year’s Hilltopper Show Choir might not have won all of the trophies, Munderloh said, but they have laid the groundwork for spectacular seasons to come. “I think that it’s a testament to the students and their talents that they can compete at this level and do incredibly well,” Munderloh said.
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