Fort Wayne, IN, April 30, 2022 – The A Cappella Choir from Concordia Lutheran High School is headed to the 2022 Indiana Choir State Finals! They were selected from qualifying regional contests as one of the top 16 choirs in the state of Indiana! They will compete in the State Finals Choir Championships at Pike High School in Indianapolis on Saturday, May 7. Concordia’s performance time is 3:10pm.
School choirs from across the state gathered on Saturday, April 30 at one of four qualifying locations. Each choir performed three selections for a panel of professional judges. The scores were combined and ranked against all choirs statewide. The top scores advance as the “Sweet 16” to the State Finals contest.
The 2022 State Finals will be a real “Hoosier’s” experience. Concordia Lutheran is the smallest school, by a large margin, to make this year’s contest. Using current IHSAA football classifications, 3A Concordia will face two 4A schools, five 5A schools, and eight 6A schools at state on Saturday. Additionally, Concordia is the only Christian and private school to make the cut. The A Cappella Choir is thrilled to represent Concordia, Fort Wayne, and Northeast Indiana as the only choral group from this area of Indiana to qualify.
Concordia has a strong tradition of excellence in vocal music. This is the eighth consecutive time that the A Cappella Choir has enjoyed the privilege and honor of qualifying for the State Finals! That is the second longest consecutive streak currently in existence. Built on many years of history with faithful singing and solid leadership, the A Cappella choir enjoys a reputation that fosters involvement from many outside forces. In recent years, directors have visited the choir from collegiate programs like Anderson, Ball State, Butler, Concordia, Huntington, DePauw, Indiana, PFW, Purdue, Wartburg, and Luther.
At the State Finals, the A Cappella Choir will perform an 18-minute set featuring three selections: Dixit in Corde Suo by Levente Gyongyosi, O Tebe Raduyetsia by Pavel Chesnokov, and Ain’t No Grave Can Hold My Body Down by Paul Caldwell & Sean Ivory. The songs are exceptionally challenging and are generally considered collegiate and professional level literature.
“We are very excited and honored to have the opportunity to share God’s message through song. State Finals will be an awesome place to be a witness and sing our best!” – Ben Gerig ’22, Choir President
“Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow! It’s truly a humbling privilege to lead this incredible group of Christian young people. They’ve worked exceptionally hard and I’m excited to work towards our most poignant performance yet this Saturday at the State Finals!” – Tavis Schlicker, Director of Choral Activities