At the group’s most recent competition at the Walsh Jesuit Great Lakes Invitational, director Vince Matia and his show choir dazzled the judges and took home the grand champion title. Both Pointe Singers, South’s varsity choir, and Serendipity, South’s new JV choir, competed against thirteen other schools. The Pointe Singers were one of six choirs to progress from the preliminary round to the finals, where they went from first place in the large group division to grand champions of the competition.

The performers began preparing for their season in August; this is when they were first given their themes for the year. The Pointe Singers received a star-spangled banner theme, and Serendipity members were challenged with a tribute to Jim Henson, creator of “The Muppets”. Grace Euper ’24, a Pointe Singer, considers the show choir program to be just as demanding as any sport.

“I look at it like a year-round sport because we compete and have practiced all year until May,” Euper said.
After-school rehearsals, which focus on learning and cleaning choreography and vocals, often go on until eight or nine at night. Because of this, Euper says the team has become increasingly close, forming unbreakable bonds with one another because of all the time they spend together.

“Almost all of my friends are from choir,” Euper explained. Although being a part of the choir can be intense at times, Euper encourages anyone interested to audition and join in on all the fun.

Lilly Hunwick ’23 is a Pointe Singer who will go on to major in musical theater next year after being in South’s choir all four years of her high school career. She received first place in Walsh Jesuit’s solo competition. Other awarded performers were Spencer Yonkus ’23 and Alex Carter ’25, who were awarded Most Outstanding Performer for Pointe Singers and Serendipity respectively.

According to Hunwick, before each concert, the choir gathers around for their classic ritual, which concludes with each member jumping based on the number of seniors in the choir, which was 22 this year, before taking the stage.

“We do jumps, where we all hold hands, right over left, in a big circle,” Hunwick explained. “And we kick our legs as each senior lists two things they are grateful for.”

Director Vince Matia said he couldn’t be more proud of his students and all they have accomplished already this year. However, he says that he can’t take full credit for it all.

“I’m just guiding them,” Matia said. “The senior class leadership is great this year. They are very motivated and encouraging to their fellow choir students.”

This is Matia’s second year teaching at South, and it’s definitely been a memorable one for him and his students. His previous experience as a choir and theater teacher greatly influenced the choir’s overall execution of each routine and gave his students an edge that set them apart from the other schools competing to win the shiny first place-trophy.
The awards had not all been given out until around 11 p.m., and the students packed their belongings to hop on the bus home after a tiring but rewarding day. The real celebration, however, began once they got back to rehearsal the following week, Hunwick said.

“One of the costume moms agreed to let us cut her ponytail off if we won,” Humwick said.