Bemidji High’s Vocalmotive Show Choir Celebrates 25 Years Of Competition

The Bemidji High School Vocalmotive Show Choir is gearing up for their upcoming competition in Wisconsin this Saturday. On Sunday, they held a special performance for family and friends at the school.

Vocalmotive is an award-winning show choir and is one of the best in the Midwest. This year marks the 25^th anniversary of competition for the Bemidji Show Choir, which started in the mid-1990s.

“These kids are having an experience that many kids will never have in high school if there wasn’t this type of program,” said Chris Fettig, Bemidji High School Choral Music Director.  “They, just by going to competitions and seeing some of these groups that are out there, they kind of – it really helps develop them as whole people.”

This year’s show is called “Evergreen.” Each song and costume change represents the transition into a new season. Fettig says the show depicts the changing seasons of life.

“We go from fall, into winter, and then back into summer,” Fettig said. “The one thing that remains the same is the Evergreen, which in our show symbolizes love and that’s the one thing, that if we share love it lasts forever.”

There are 50 singers and dancers in the show choir. Heather Werlein, a Vocalmotive co-captain, has been part of the show choir for four years. She says her favorite song is the last song of the show.

“It’s just so much fun to perform because it’s such a hyped song and it has really good energy to it and it’s a really good way to end the entire show. Just on a positive note. So, I really like it, it’s so much fun,” Werlein said.

Students have been practicing for the upcoming competition since the beginning of the school year in September. Co-captain Louis Saxton says he’s looking forward to the audience’s reaction during their performance.

“I think this show has a more of an opportunity than normal to really touch the people that are watching it. I think they’re going to have an experience, too. So, I look forward to seeing how they respond to it,” Saxton said.

The show choir will compete in Onalaska, Wisconsin on Saturday, January 11th.

Vocalmotive will also be hosting their 25^th  annual dinner shows this month:

Performance Dates for the 25th Dinner Show:

• January 24 – 7:00 p.m.
• January 25 – 1:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m.
• January 26 – 4:00 p.m.

Call Bemidji High School at (218) 766-1069 for more information.