“The Barbershop Harmony Society is the organization, and then they host what they call the Mid-Winter Convention,” choir director Nick Franssen said. “It’s just senior quartets and choruses and then junior quartets and choruses.”

Franssen took the barbershop quartet and chorus group to the competition in California, where the chorus placed first in their division and earned the second-highest score overall, a 76.4 out of 100.

“They award the top scorers of each division an award,” Franssen said, “We took home the Plateau A Champion; we scored the highest in that division.”

Despite the chorus winning, the Serenada quartet did not place.

“We did pretty well,” senior Reagan Stillwell said. “The quartet didn’t place, but overall, it was a really good experience.” 

This was AHS’s first time attending the mid-winter competition; they had to submit pieces they had done to be invited. The barbershop was excited for the opportunity.

“I had told a few of them that I was applying; some of them had no idea,” Franssen said. “I think they were all pretty excited when they found out about a chance to go to California.”

While in California, the choir participated in a variety of activities.

“My favorite part was singing with the other kids who were there,” senior Blaze Clem said.

Though there for a choir competition, California held other fun activities for the group.

“We went to an observatory and the Hollywood Hall of Fame,” Stillwell said. “It was just pretty fun to bond with all the other choir members.”