03/24/2022
Here we are, back in Iowa, and we didn't bring the Florida weather with us! :(
While, on the surface, it seems to be a lot of fun and games (and we know there's plenty of that!), we are even more excited about the musical experiences our students were able to gain over the past several days. On Saturday, the Ambassadors competed with some of the best show choirs in the country. Every other group in finals ranked no lower than 2nd throughout their regular season and come from large metropolitan cities. The Ambassadors performed an outstanding day show, made finals, and performed another awesome show at night, ranking 4th Runner-Up. To rank up there with those remarkable groups is a testament to the hard work and talent of the members of this ensemble! On Monday, the band and choir students participated in Disney workshops with cast members. The 2.5 hour workshops centered around auditions, sight reading, flexibility, and being a good ensemble member. On Tuesday night, we experienced the Cirque du Soleil show "Drawn to Life." As we watched this incredible production, we were reminded of the performance skills we teach our students everyday. We know our kids who are interested in the visual artistry and tech side of productions were also captivated by the effects in the show. Of course, there were countless performances in each park to take in as well. Finally, this trip provided an excellent opportunity for culture building for both the band and choir programs and our department as a whole. Having a strong culture and support for one another is exceedingly important to building strong music programs. We witnessed new and strengthening friendships, and seeing all of our Prairie musicians cheering on the Ambassadors in competition was a prime example of the camaraderie that comes with this trip. We're already looking forward to our next trip in 2025!
