Nashville Heart of America Show Choir and Concert Choir

The Heart of America Nashville 2020 stage brought together some of the finest choirs in the land. The Heart of America Nashville 2020 Finals was a display of amazing talent and high-energy performances.


Fairfield HS (OH) Pure Elegance utilized a fashion theme, “People are always going to stare, make it worth their while.” They had elaborate costumes that were bright and colorful. The show was centered around a high school, “queen bee” using fun high school music selections about loving yourself and the skin you’re in, no matter what you wear.


Fairfield HS (OH) Fortissibros gave us a show that was a lot of fun. This all male group took the audience to the ocean dressed as sailors in their amazing opening costumes. A massive battleship set was very impressive. They got the audience involved with Baby Shark while using a shark on stage. They closed with Human Battleship.


Zionsville HS (IN) Choralaires all girls group is absolutely incredible. Impressive vocals with a cool video screen back drop, the ladies entered the stage in prairie skirts as pioneer women. Pails and brooms were highlights of their rendition of Hard Knock Life. Their outlaw themed show included cowboy hats during Dead or Alive, wanted alive posters on the video monitors and closed with Bad Guy by Billie Eilish.


Pleasant Hill HS (MO) Hillside Singers presented their show Phoenix supported by a gigantic backdrop of the Phoenix bird. The concept stated, “some things go right in our lives and some things go wrong but we can always Rise,” and that they did. Their performance took new life opening with Blackbird and transitioning into a solo of Mighty Wings. They presented a gorgeous show design.


Keller HS (TX) Voices of Central performed one of the most entertaining shows I’ve seen. Their karate themed show followed the story of a kid who wasn’t good at karate but trained through the entire show and kept getting better each number. In the end, the kid won the battle. Strong karate choreography enhanced the concept and was very precise. Impressive vocals and choreography made this a very fun show.


Brea Olinda HS (CA) Masquerade gave us a huge set and many extravagant costumes in their show Once Upon a Nightmare. They started in more traditional choir robes with ballet dancers during Beautiful Dreamer. The center prop turned and out came evil vs. good dancers. An onstage costume change presented a vibrant colored gown for the ladies. Many Disney themes worked into the imaginative program. The ending of the show, set to Hero, opened the middle backdrop to reveal a huge dragon that the prince defeated.


Zionsville HS (IN) Royalaires had one of the most enjoyable, fun, pure entertaining shows I’ve seen. Their wedding concept was easy to watch, fun and lighthearted and followed the story of a couple getting married, all the way to the wedding and reception including cake! The show was high energy and really felt like the audience was watching a wedding reception. Highlight of the show was the Fidler on the Roof Bottle Dance with guys dancing with bottles on their heads! A quick snippet from Hamilton led into their beautiful ballad, With You from Pippin.


Fairfield HS (OH) Choraliers performed a very creative show, Beetlejuice. The show started before their introduction complete with a funeral scene with great acting and props. The show followed the theme with amazing costumes identical to the movie and Broadway show. Their set was amazing changing from the exterior of the house to the interior in a few seconds. Very entertaining and enjoyable to watch with awesome lights and set!


Center Grove HS (IN) Sound System wore elaborate, pale green and cream colored turn of the century garments winning them best costumes. A very challenging vocal program, they brilliantly used fans in the opening number as props. The show followed a Mozart theme throughout their show and they performed Mozart’s Lacrimosa with amazing precision. A male solo of Only the Good Die Young led into the finale of I’m Gonna Live Forever.


Show Awards

The The Heart of America Nashville 2020 show was held at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center. There were 10 Mixed Groups, 9 Womens Groups, 2 Mens Groups, and 2 Middle School Groups. The hosts were the Viterbo University “Platinum Edition” under the direction of Nancy Allen and Shane Rhoades. The judges were Jeff Gemar (vocal prelim / finals [main stage]), Joseph Kincaid (visual prelim / finals [main stage]), John Burlace (band prelim / finals [main stage]), Jarad Voss (critique / finals [main stage]), Tony Atienza (critique [main stage]), Michelle Jensen (vocal prelims [second stage] / finals [main stage]), Annette Layman (visual prelim [second stage] / finals [main stage]), Garrett Breeze (band [second stage] / finals [main stage]), Chris Kindle (critique [second stage] / finals [main stage]), Shane Rhoades (critique [second stage] / finals [main stage]).


Finals

Place Group School Best in Show
  Grand Champion Royalaires Zionsville High School Vocals, Choreography, Band, Show Design
  First Runner Up Sound System Center Grove High School Costumes
  Second Runner Up Choraliers Fairfield Senior High School Crew, Female Soloist (Natalie Jonson)
  3rd Runner Up Voices of Central Keller Central High School Male Soloist (Michael Lopez)
  4th Runner Up Masquerade Brea Olinda High School
  5th Runner Up Hillside Singers Pleasant Hill High School

Finals – Tier II

Place Group School Best in Show
  First Place Choralaires Zionsville High School Vocals, Choreography
  Second Place FortissiBROS Fairfield Senior High School
  Third Place Pure Elegance Fairfield Senior High School

Mixed Division – Tier I (Prelims)

Place Group School
  Prelims Placement Unknown Minstrel Magic Carroll High School
  Prelims Placement Unknown Choraliers Fairfield Senior High School
  Prelims Placement Unknown Voices of Central Keller Central High School
  Prelims Placement Unknown Jefferson Connection Jefferson Senior High School
  Prelims Placement Unknown Masquerade Brea Olinda High School
  Prelims Placement Unknown Music Makers Harrisonville High School
  Prelims Placement Unknown Hillside Singers Pleasant Hill High School
  Prelims Placement Unknown Royalaires Zionsville High School
  Prelims Placement Unknown Sound System Center Grove High School

Single-Gender Division

Place Group School Best in Show
  1st Place Choralaires Zionsville High School Vocals, Choreography
  2nd Place FortissiBROS Fairfield Senior High School
  3rd Place Pure Elegance Fairfield Senior High School
  4th Place Debtones Center Grove High School
  5th Place Spellbound Brea Olinda High School
  6th Place Jive Jefferson Senior High School
  No Placement Hilltop Harmony Pleasant Hill High School
  No Placement Powerhouse Pleasant Hill High School
  No Placement Synergy Tupelo High School
  No Placement Select Sound Carroll High School

Open Division

Place Group School Best in Show
  1st Place Rhapsody in Red Green Bay East High School Vocals, Choreography
  2nd Place Rhythm Express Fairfield Middle School
  3rd Place Little Elegance Fairfield Middle School
  4th Place Irish Adrenaline Cathedral High School

Enjoy/share/download these performance photos from Heart of America Nashville 2020:

Link to Facebook Gallery