RE: OT: DD #2 - Last Show Choir competition - ever

[AustinBoston]

 
Well, my second daughter is growing up. It s her Senior year, and she s worked hard for 4 years as part of the High School Show Choir.  (Show Choir...picture a typical HS choir that dances as it sings.  Sort of like some of the musical numbers in Grease.)
 
 It s been a very difficult year.  First, a lot of really good talent graduated last year.  The town cut funding for a lot of music & sports things, and they were on the bottom of the totem pole.  Then they started the year with a new director who had no experience...and they didn t exactly hit it off.
 
 Their first competition got them a bronze medal...almost a " thank you for coming."   Like most musical competitons, the medals are awarded against a standard, not against the competition.  So it s possible for all competitors (or none) to win gold.  It s rare for a competition to have two bronze medals awarded, usually everyone gets at least silver.  There is one Champion award for each show choir in each of the two divisions, and awards for things like best soloist and best pit band.
 
 In their first three competitions, they won three bronze medals.  Rather disappointing.  In their last competition (before tonight), they won silver, which cheered people up.
 
 Today, I saw a perfomance from our show choir like I hadn t seen all year.  Many of the show choirs receive standing ovations, usually from their own parents/friends.  There were twelve show choirs in the competition.  At least 60% of the auditorium was on their feet.  As DD was returning to the auditorium in order to see the host choir (which is not judged), I motioned to her that they had won.  I d only done that once before, during her first year.  She didn t believe me that time either.
 
 As the awards were being given, I realized that some show chiors that were listed in a higher division were actually in DD s division.  I hadn t thought of them as competition, but now they clearly were.  Some of them were excellent and would be very hard to beat.  All of the ones that were listed in her division they had clearly defeated.  But these others...uh, there was no way.
 
 They presented the " lesser"  awards first.  We won for best pit band.  One of our girls won best soloist!  One of the guys received an honorable mention.
 
 Our show choir was last to compete, so they received their medal last...gold!  Yes!  Finally!  The awards presenters moved on to the other division, then came back to anounce the champion in our division.  I had narrowed it down to two show choirs, neither of them ours.[]  It was disappointing after thinking they had won.
 
 Sometimes, you get surprised.  We won.  I should say they won, DD won.  [][][][][]  I m still hoarse from screaming.  PJay was crying.  DD was crying.  Everyone was hugging, jumping up and down, and crying.  They had worked so hard.  
 
 At other competitions, I had seen show choirs win because they were talented, and that is good.  I m sure a lot of hard work went into it as well.  But our show choir had a lot of strikes against them that had very little to do with talent.  More than half the group had no experience at the beginning of the year.  They have overcome personality conflicts, inferiority complexes, and an inexperienced  director.  They even overcame budget reductions and unexpected surprise expenses.  And they worked hard.  There is no doubt, they won the old fashioned way...they earned it.
 
 She will graduate shortly, and be able to know she finished her Show Choir competition with a championship.
 
 Sarah, I m proud of you.[]
 
 Austin []
 

[tlhdoc]

 AustinBoston
Sounds like the final performance was the best, as it should be.