|
It all started here. Bishop Luers is
proud to be the place where high school swing choir competition began
more than 30 years ago.
In January of 1975 the Minstrels, the swing choir at Bishop Luers
High School, conceived the idea of organizing and hosting a swing choir
contest. The Minstrels felt they and other young groups might learn and
profit by observing some of the area's most distinguished choirs
performing in an open competition. They felt it would help stimulate a
wider interest in and appreciation for swing choirs by making it
possible for many groups to perform the same day before a large
audience.
In less than two months judges were contacted, rules established,
trophies acquired, invitations were extended, and seven fine swing
choirs were invited to perform. The idea worked so well that the
following year fifteen high school groups were invited to the contest.
By 1979 twenty swing choirs from around the Midwest accepted the
challenge of coming to Fort Wayne to compete for trophies and medals.
That year, more than 600 students and 1,500 parents attended the
contest.
The local PBS station broadcast the early years of the competition,
and in1983 the program aired on PBS stations around the country.
That led to international exposure and growth in swing choir
competitions around the country.
The yearly
initial invitation to participate in the BLHS Annual Show Choir
Invitational is mailed to over 250 show choirs throughout the country,
and appears on Show Choir websites. Show choirs then register and are
accepted on a first come, first served basis for the Invitational.
Welcome Packets are mailed and another Invitational is under way!
In 1994,
the 20th anniversary was marked with a special swing choir directed by
the founder, Father Fred Link. In 2004, the 30th Anniversary
Bishop Luers Show Choir Invitational marked another milestone in
Minstrel history. Father Fred returned to welcome 18 choirs and a large
group of Minstrel alumni who gathered to celebrate this outstanding
accomplishment.
|
