COLORADO SPRINGS - The Colorado High School Activities Association recognized state champions in music for the first time this year, with a champion being crowned in A Cappella, Jazz and Show Choir during the CHSAA Festivals at Cheyenne Mountain High School Wednesday and Thursday, April 23-24.
During Wednesday’s CHSAA Jazz and A Cappella Festival, Cheyenne Mountain's Crimson & Slate captured the A Cappella championship, with Fossil Ridge finishing second.
“Crimson & Slate were beyond honored and thrilled to be crowned State A Cappella Champions,” said Dawn Wisdom, Cheyenne Mountain’s longtime Director of Vocal Music. “We put in countless hours on our music all year building up to the state event. This event is Crimson & Slate's favorite performance of the year.
“At the CHSAA Fest it's extra special to be able to work with guest professional artists and receive their expert advice. Crimson & Slate loved being able to perform for so many fellow student musicians from across Colorado.”
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In Jazz, Grandview Jazz Choir won gold and Vista PEAK Prep took silver.
“Grandview’s strength in our choral program has been ear training and singing really difficult music really well, in tune,” Teresa Newman, Grandview’s Choir & Department Coordinator, said “But the music on the page is only the first step. We spend a lot of time talking about the meaning of each piece and how we connect to it. Our job is to transform the audience, to make them feel something.
"I told our kids that if the audience is moved to feel, if they are transformed and loved what you did, it doesn’t matter what the judges say. It feels really good that we won the audience over and that the judges had the same sentiment.”
On Thursday, Cañon City capped off CHSAA’s Show Choir Festival by winning the state title, while Vista Ridge took second at the event.
