The Counterpoints and Descants’ preparation for competition season comes to a close with first showcase just two weeks away. After almost two years without a regular season, the advanced show choirs are ready to be back to competing. 

Weeks before the choirs were headed to their 2020 national competition in Nashville, COVID-19 surged and caused an early end to their season. The groups proceeded through 2021 with no competitions, but in May showcased their sets at the NC football stadium. 

To prepare for the new season, the directors made accommodations to the rehearsal schedule.

 “We started frontloading two weeks before Thanksgiving break when we usually start rehearsing in January,” Descants director Jared McElroy said.

“They’ve been going really well, starting early reduced a lot of stress and now we’re all just excited to be back to normalcy.”

Like any other team, the group works all together to achieve a goal, which McElroy believes is the key to creating their close-knit dynamic. 

“The first thing to do is build the relationship between the whole group, directors too,” McElroy said, “We want them to know that we want them to be the best version of themselves and I know they do too.”  

Counterpoints senior and co-president, Beatrice Ladron De Guevara has seen benefits to the modified rehearsals.

“We’ve already started rehearsing earlier than we typically do starting back in November,” Ladron De Guevara said, “We’re in a much better spot than we were two years ago.”

Ladron De Guevara believes the key to a successful competition season is working for the group. 

“It’s really important to have an amicable relationship with at least most of the group,” Ladron De Guevara said, “You just can’t coexist and do well as one if you don’t do some sort of team building.”

Sophomore Michelle Ayeh is experiencing her first year in the competition season as a Descant. 

“We’ve done a lot of work so far and I feel like we’re making a lot of improvements in our choreography,” Ayeh said. 

As an advanced choir, they must be held to a higher standard.

“We get a good amount of constructive criticism and most of us take it positively,” Ayeh said, “Some people take offense to it, but if we do that we won’t improve.”

Both choirs will travel to the first competition of the season on Saturday, February 12 in Plainfield. For any more information on the choirs, visit northcentralchoirs.com.