Norwell Drum Line 6th at State Finals

Norwell's Winter Percussion placed 6th in their class at the State Prelims at Avon High School Saturday.

The final scores were as follows:

1) 86.838 - Ben Davis
2) 86.238 - Greenfield Central
3) 85.900 - Plainfield
4) 85.200 - Decatur Central
5) 82.325 - Carroll
6) 79.913 - Norwell
7) 79.550 - Columbus East
8) 73.250 - DeKalb
9) 72.625 - Hamilton Southeastern
10) 69.325 - Union County

This weekend, Norwell will contest the State Finals at Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis.

Frank

Norwell's "Knight Moves" End Season Undefeated!

Norwell’s Knight Moves completed an unbeaten Small Mixed Division Show Choir season with another win Saturday, this time at the 14th annual Ohio Valley Showcase at Southwestern High School in Hanover.

The Knight Moves headed off mixed choirs from Columbia City, Austin and Ross, to take their season record to a perfect 32-0. The Knight Moves also won the caption awards for Best Choreography and Best Vocals.

Competing in the Women’s Division, the Knight Stars were edged into first runner-up by Center Grove, by an eight point margin. Norwell won the caption award for Best Vocals, but Center Grove’s larger choir took Best Choreography.
Also competing in the Women’s Division were Clover Hill (W.V.) and Columbia City. The Knight Stars therefore finish their season at 17-3.

Norwell’s Lauren Fiechter, who preforms in both choirs, also won the Solo Division.

Norwell’s individual Best Performer awards went to Addy Johnson (Knight Moves) and Leslie Sagstetter (Knight Stars).

Although the competition season is over, Norwell’s show choirs still have two more events to prepare for. On April 28, Northern Wells Community Schools will present its annual Musical extravaganza, featuring all choirs and bands from its music departments, from elementary through high school. On May 5, the season will officially conclude with the Choral Spring Show, which will also be the farewell performance for this year’s seniors.

The News-Banner will bring full details as soon as they become available.

N-B Video: Talent raids Southern Wells at 2012 Raider Idol

Southern Wells students perform during the 2012 Raider Idol talent competition Thursday, March 15. Jenna Reinhard, Colton Kellam, and Ashton Leas, as well as a group comprised of Alyssa Morris, Eli Leas, BreAnna Glasco, Jacelyn Kinsey and Madison Watson, won for their respective performances. (Video by Chet Baumgartner)

Norwell show choirs keep singing

The Norwell show choirs, including the Knight Stars featured here, unleash their 2012 line up of songs during their 2012 competition at their school. We'll have more songs from more choirs throughout the week. Learn more in the Monday, March 12, News-Banner. (Video by Frank Shanly)

N-B Video: More music from Norwell's 2012 show choir competition

The Norwell show choirs unleash their 2012 line up of songs during their 2012 competition at their school. We'll have more songs from more choirs throughout the week. Learn more in the Monday, March 12, News-Banner. (Video by Frank Shanly)

Norwell's Lauren Fiechter Graces Cover of New Show Choir Magazine

The world of show choir now has its very own magazine, and the photo on the cover of the very first issue should be a familiar one for Wells County show choir aficionados.

Norwell’s Lauren Fiechter, captured by the camera performing with the Knight Moves at Northridge on Feb. 25, adorns the cover of the first edition of “Song in Motion,” which was being distributed free of charge at Saturday’s Norwell Show Choir Invitational.

The new magazine is being produced by an Indianapolis company, Those Guys Productions LLC, but sets out to cover activities across the country. In fact, on page three, is a story about show choir in Malaysia!

In their joint editorial, founders Ryan Morris and Dan Baker state that their goal is “to connect the show choir world in a way that has never been done before.”

They invite feedback and contributions from those involved in show choir at all levels, and the first issue in fact includes a section focussing on comments made by students involved in the experience.

The first edition also features stories relating to keeping instruments and voices in accord, healthy living while on the road for competitions, planning trips, and the role of directors, upcoming “show choir style” events, and a look at the program run by Los Alamitos High School in California.

(Los Alamitos competed head to head with Norwell at the 2011 Finale National Championships in New York.)

Along with the first copy of his magazine, Morris was at the Norwell Invitational Saturday, and free subscriptions were among the prizes given out to members of the audience during the course of the competition.

The magazine is scheduled to be produced six times per year, with an annual subscription rate of $14.97 plus applicable taxes (For Indiana residents, that will mean $16.02). For further information, check www.songinmotion.com

N-B Video: Norwell show choirs hold annual competition — "Anyway You Want It"

The Norwell show choirs unleash several songs, such as "Anyway You Want It" during their 2012 competition at their school. We'll have more songs throughout the week. Learn more in the Monday, March 12, News-Banner. (Video by Frank Shanly)

Photos of the Knight Moves at the Norwell Invitational

Norwell's Knight Moves, unbeaten in Small Mixed Division competition in 2012, perform at the 2012 Norwell Show Choir Invitational.

Photos of the Knight Stars at the Norwell Invitational

The Knight Stars shine at the 2012 Norwell Show Choir Invitational.

Photos of the Knight Sounds at the Norwell Invitational

Norwell's Middle School Show Choir performs at the 2012 Norwell Show Choir Invitational.

Center Grove Take Center Stage at Norwell Show Choir Invitational

It wasn’t quite the clean sweep of two years ago, but Center Grove returned to center stage at the 22nd annual Norwell Show Choir Invitational Saturday.

In 2010, Center Grove came, saw, and took just about every award possible back to Greenwood. They missed the event in 2011, and returning this year, the trophy haul wasn’t quite so complete, but nonetheless impressive, and the scene was also set for a rivalry this Saturday at Southwestern High School, between Center Grove and Norwell.

Center Grove took Mixed Choir Grand Champion award, and also Women’s Division Grand Champion. They were forced to settle for second in the Concert Choir Division however, by Huntington North.

Along the way, Center Grove also picked up the caption awards for Best Choreography, Best Vocals and Best Stage Crew in both Large Mixed and Women’s choir divisions, with Abby Lord also winning the caption award for Best Solo Within a Show in the Women’s Division.

Center Grove and Norwell will go head to head for top honors in the Women’s Division at Southwestern next weekend, and the Knight Moves habit of winning the Small Mixed Choir Division with enough points to propel them into the evening competition against the best Large Mixed choirs sets up a potential show down on two fronts.

The “rivalry” was on show Saturday when Center Grove, still competing on stage in the Concert Choir Division, asked for the Knight Stars exhibition performance to be delayed so they could come and watch. Center Grove performers were also paying close attention to the Knight Moves exhibition later in the evening, just prior to the final prize giving.

In addition to winning the Concert Choir Division, Huntington North placed first runner-up in the Large Mixed Division, and Breanna Woods of Huntington North won the Solo Division. Woods also won the caption award for Best Female Solo Within a Show in the Large Mixed Choir Division (for the second consecutive year), and Huntington won the captions for Best Instrumental Ensemble in this division also.

Competition began just after 8:30 a.m. Saturday morning, but it was not until after midnight, and the early hour of Sunday morning until the final awards were presented. 23 choirs, competing in six divisions including the solo division contested this year’s event.

Northrdge won the top honors in the Small Mixed Choir Division, while Woodside won the Middle School Division competition.

Whiteland’s “Rhythm Masters” won the “People’s Choice” award for the second consecutive year.

As host school, Norwell’s show choirs were ineligible to compete, however the “Knight Moves,” the “Knight Stars” and the “Knight Sounds” all performed exhibitions of their 2012 competition routines. Video and photos from the event will be posted here over the next few days.

2012 Norwell Show Choir Invitational
Results: March 10

Large Mixed Choir Division:
Grand Champion: Center Grove “CG Sound System”
1st Runner-up: Huntington North “Varsity Singers”
2nd Runner-up: Northridge “Northern Lights” (competing up after placing first in the Small Mixed Division.)
3rd Runner-up: Anderson “Vocal Infusion”
4th Runner-up: Shelbyville “Synergy”
5th Runner-up: Whiteland “Rhythym Masters” (competing up after placing second in the Small Mixed Division.)
Best Choreography: Center Grove “CG Sound System”
Best Vocals: Center Grove “CG Sound System”
Best Stage Crew: Center Grove “CG Sound System”
Best Instrumental Ensemble: Huntington North “Varsity Singers’
Best Male Soloist: Layke Jones (Anderson “Vocal Infusion”)
Best Female Soloist: Breanna Woods (Huntington North “Varsity Singers”)

Small Mixed Choir Division:
Grand Champion: Northridge “Northern Lights”
1st Runner-up: Shelbyville “Synergy”
2nd Runner-up: Whiteland “Rhythm Masters”
Best Choreography: Northridge “Northern Lights”
Best Vocals: Northridge “Northern Lights”
Best Stage Crew: Northridge “Northern Lights”
Best Instrumental Ensemble: Northridge “Northern Lights”
Best Male Soloist: Skyler Leffingwell (Pendelton Heights “Pendeltones”)
Best Female Soloist: Jessica Gannon (Northridge “Northern Lights”)

Women’s Choir Division:
Grand Champion: Center Grove “Debtones”
1st Runner-up: Northridge “Starlights”
2nd Runner-up: Noblesville “New Dimension”
Best Choreography: Center Grove “Debtones”
Best Vocals: Center Grove “Debtones”
Best Instrumentals: Northridge “Starlights”
Best Stage Crew: Center Grove “Debtones”
Best Female Soloist: Abby Lord (Center Grove “Debtones”)

Concert Choir Division:
Grand Champion: Huntington North “Varsity Concert Choir”
1st Runner-up: Center Grove “CG Singers”
2nd Runner-up: Northridge “Lyric Lights”

Middle School Division:
Grand Champion: Woodside “Class Act”
1st Runner-up: Miami “Sound Machine”
2nd Runner-up: Shawnee “Stage Breakers”

Soloist Division:
Grand Champion: Breanna Woods (Huntington North)
1st Runner-up: Layke Jones (Anderson)
2nd Runner-up: Morgan Pay (Anderson)

Norwell Drum Line Places Fifth at New Palestine

Norwell’s Winter Percussion Ensemble placed fifth in their IPA Open Class competition at New Palestine Saturday.

This division is new territory for Norwell, who have been moved up a class this year. A total of nine teams competed in the event.

Greenfield Central won the division with 86.45 points. They were followed by Plainfield (85.15), Ben Davis (85), Decatur Central (83.25), Norwell (82.9) and DeKalb (79.65).

Also competing were Union County, Columbus East and Carroll.

Norwell Show Choir Invitational Set For Saturday

Show choir competition returns to Wells County this weekend with 23 choirs scheduled to perform at Saturday’s 22nd annual Norwell Show Choir Invitational.

Competition will start at approximately 8:30 a.m. in both the high school auditorium and the gymnasium. There will be six groups of competition this year, with both large and small mixed show choir divisions being contested. Other divisions will be middle school and also women’s show choir, concert choir, and solo.

As host school, Norwell will be unable to compete at the event, however the school’s three show choirs will all present exhibition performances of their 2012 competition routines.

The Knight Sounds (middle school choir) will perform in the auditorium at 2;05 p.m., the Knight Stars (women’s choir) will perform in the gymnasium at 3:25 p.m., and the Knight Moves, undefeated in competition during 2012, will perform in the gymnasium at 11:30 p.m., immediately before the final awards presentation.

Two years ago, Center Grove came north and swept the competition winning the Mixed Show Choir, Women’s Show Choir and Concert Choir divisions, and also the Grand Champion title. Amanda Belkamp from Center Grove also won the solo division.
They missed the event last year, and the honors were more evenly spread. Huntington North took top honors in the Large Mixed and Concert Choir Divisions, and the clash between the two schools this year should be one of the highlights of the event.

Last year, Plainfield took top honors in the Women’s Division, and their absence this year will guarantee a new champion is crowned in this division. Indian Springs will also not be returning to defend their Middle School crown.

Whiteland will however be looking to successfully defend their Small Mixed Division title.

At approximately 5 p.m. in the gymnasium, a preliminary awards presentation will take place along with the announcement of the choirs and soloists that have progressed to the evening session. The final awards will be presented at the conclusion of the evening session, and are scheduled to begin at approximately midnight.

There is a $15 admission fee for the full day, or $10 each for only the morning/afternoon or evening sessions. Lunch and dinner will be served in the cafeteria, but are not included in the cost of admission. Dinner will be catered by Preble Gardens.

For those unable to attend the event, the competition will be broadcast via live feed on the internet, through the Northern Wells Community Schools web site at www.nwcs.k12.in.us

The full performance schedule is as follows:

Small Mixed Show Choir Division (gymnasium):
8:30 – Martinsville
9:05 – Whiteland
9:40 – Shelbyville
10:15 – Pendleton Heights
10:50 – Northridge

Large Mixed Show Choir Division (gymnasium):
1:05 – Noblesville
1:40 – Huntington North
2:15 – Anderson
2:50 – Center Grove

Also in Gymnasium during day session:
4:40 - Norwell “Knight Stars” (Exhibition only)
5 – Preliminary Awards presentation

Middle School Show Choir Division (auditorium):
8:35 – Woodside
9:10 – Shawnee
9:45 – Miami
10:20 – Kekionga
2:05 – Norwell Knight Sounds (Exhibition only at conclusion of Women’s Division competition)

Women’s Show Choir Division (auditorium):
10:55 – Noblesville
11:30 – Anderson
12:05 – Center Grove
12:30 – Lunch break
1:30 – Northridge

Concert Choir Division (auditorium):
3:45 – Northridge
4:05 – Huntington North
4:25 – Center Grove

Evening Session (gymnasium):
6:30 - Solo competition finalists (3)
7 - Women’s Choir Finalists (3)
8:30 - Mixed Choir Finalists (6)
11:30 - Norwell “Knight Moves” (Exhibition only)
Midnight - Final awards presentation.

Knight Moves Remain Unbeaten After Ohio Invasion.

Five competitions, five Grand Championships.

That is the story of Norwell’s Knight Moves 2012 Small Mixed Division show choir season after they once again took top honors in their class Saturday, this time in Fairfield, Ohio.

The Knight Moves outshone nine other choirs from Ohio, Illinois and Indiana at the 2012 Fairfield Crystal Classic. The Knight Moves, now 29-0 in Small Mixed Division competition, headed off Olentangy and South Dearborn to win the division, and captured the caption awards for Best Choreography, Best Vocals and Best Visual Effect. Lauren Fiechter and Gavin Drew were named Best Soloists in the division.

Other choirs competing in the Small Mixed division were Winston Churchill, Edgewood, Troy, Central Crossing, Van Buren, Ross and Milton.

The one disappointment of the weekend was that the Knight Stars (15-2) could not maintain their unbeaten season, as they fell to second runner-up, behind Ben Davis and Wheaton-Warrenville. Ben Davis picked up the caption awards for Best Choreography and Best Vocals, although Norwell’s Alyssa Noble was named Best Soloist.

Also contesting the Women’s Division were Edgewood, Winston Churchill and Mooresville.

Norwell’s individual Best Performer awards went to Addy Johnson (Knight Stars) and Evan Chilton (Knight Moves).

The Knight Moves and Knight Stars will be joined this Saturday at the 22nd annual Norwell Show Choir Invitational this coming Saturday, right here in Wells County.

The News-Banner will bring full details as soon as they become available.

Many thanks once again to Denny and Kathy Meyer for the photo and results.

Norwell Winter Drum Line Qualifies For WGI Finals

Norwell’s Winter percussion Ensemble qualified for the WGI Finals with a third place finish in Dayton, Ohio Saturday.

Earning 83.875 points, Norwell qualified behind Lebanon High School – of Lebanon, Ohio – with 89.200 and Turin High School of Cincinnati with 86.500.

In all, 10 schools were competing in Dayton Saturday, in one of several regional qualifying competitions.

The result was good enough to ensure Norwell will be able to compete at the WGI Finals at the Dayton University Arena from April 19-21.

Norwell’s drum line returns to Indiana Percussion Association competition Saturday, March 17, when it will contest the IPA State preliminaries at Avon High School.