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50-452: Tantasqua Regional High School was founded in 1953, and an initial addition to the building was approved in 1962. A 1995 plan for renovation was rejected, but a new building was completed in 2002. Tantasqua is divided into an academic division and a technical division. TRHS athletic teams are nicknamed the Warriors. The baseball team won the 1977 Massachusetts Division 2 state championship, and

100-469: A cappella (it is usually one full song in the set), though this is not a standard in the rest of the country. More often than not, the a cappella selection is also the ballad, as it is much easier to sing unaccompanied while holding relatively still. In the Midwest, it is becoming popular to set one song aside as a "novelty" piece, designed to make the audience laugh. "Concept" or "story" shows that unify all of

150-445: A distorted electric guitar solo representing the "power" in the power ballad. Aaron argues that the hard rock power ballad broke into the mainstream of American consciousness in 1976 as FM radio gave a new lease of life to earlier impassioned songs such as Badfinger 's " Without You ", Led Zeppelin 's " Stairway to Heaven " and Aerosmith 's " Dream On ". The Carpenters ' 1972 single " Goodbye to Love " has also been identified as

200-774: A fairly standardized form. Jazz musicians sometimes broaden the term still further to embrace all slow-tempo pieces. Notable sentimental ballads of this period include, "Little Rosewood Casket" (1870), " After the Ball " (1892), and " Danny Boy " (1913). Popular sentimental ballad vocalists in this era include Frank Sinatra , Ella Fitzgerald , Andy Williams , Johnny Mathis , Connie Francis and Perry Como . Their recordings were usually lush orchestral arrangements of current or recent rock and roll or pop hit songs. The most popular and enduring songs from this style of music are known as "pop standards" or (where relevant) "American standards". Many vocalists became involved in 1960s' vocal jazz and

250-425: A group from the south may not place well at a competition in the midwest since the midwest region tends to put more emphasize on vocals while southern regions put more emphasis on visuals. At many competitions, there are also individual, or solo competitions which take place. They take place during the main competition in a different area than the show choir performances. Winners are announced, and they may perform at

300-791: A high school activity, show choirs exist at all levels of school from elementary through the collegiate level. Outside of the United States, show choirs can be found in countries such as Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom, Ireland, Philippines, and Argentina. While there is no standard requirement for the number of performers or demographic of its students, a show choir typically consists of thirty to sixty singer/dancers. Factors like school size and/or director preferences may impact this number. Larger schools with more advanced programs may have more than one competitive show choir ensemble. Show choirs composed entirely of students of one gender usually compete in separate divisions from mixed-gender show choirs, with

350-454: A loud and emotive chorus backed by drums, electric guitars, and sometimes choirs. According to Charles Aaron , power ballads came into existence in the early 1970s, when rock stars attempted to convey profound messages to audiences while retaining their "macho rocker" mystique. The hard rock power ballad typically expresses love or heartache through its lyrics, shifting into wordless intensity and emotional transcendence with heavy drumming and

400-478: A lush musical arrangement which emphasizes the song's melody and harmonies . Characteristically, ballads use acoustic instruments such as guitars , pianos , saxophones , and sometimes an orchestral set. Many modern mainstream ballads tend to feature synthesizers , drum machines and even, to some extent, a dance rhythm . Sentimental ballads had their origins in the early Tin Pan Alley music industry of

450-621: A narrative song, their theme and function may originate from Scandinavian and Germanic traditions of storytelling. Musically they were influenced by the Minnesinger . The earliest example of a recognizable ballad in form in England is " Judas " in a 13th-century manuscript . A reference in William Langland 's Piers Plowman indicates that ballads about Robin Hood were being sung from at least

500-450: A prototype of the power ballad, driven by the hard rock guitar sound of Tony Peluso . British heavy metal band Judas Priest wrote many power ballads, starting with " Dreamer Deceiver " and " Beyond the Realms of Death ". American rock band Styx has been credited with releasing the first true power ballad, the song " Lady ", in 1973. Its writer, Dennis DeYoung is called the "father of

550-412: A showcase of a few groups from the immediate geographic area or they can feature many groups from multiple states. Because of the vast difference in sizes of the competitions, they can last a single afternoon or span an entire weekend. Competitions may separate competing choirs into different divisions. These divisions are often determined by age, skill level, size of the school or choir, and/or gender of

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600-543: A slow love song from the 1950s onwards. Sentimental ballads have their roots from medieval French chanson balladée or ballade , which were originally "danced songs". Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and song of the British Isles from the later medieval period until the 19th century. They were widely used across Europe , and later in the Americas , Australia and North Africa . As

650-425: A small number of groups. Additionally, there is often at least one solo in each performance by a standout singer in the group. Competitive performance sets range in length, but are usually timed to total between fifteen and twenty-five minutes. Shows generally consist of, but are not limited to, approximately five songs. Middle school shows usually contain four songs. Show choirs have seen a rise in popularity since

700-409: A type of performing arts , for example as secondary school activities in the United States. They are typically co-curricular activity (part of a class or connected to the academic curriculum) or an extracurricular activity. Alternate examples include organizations formed outside of a school, such as community choirs that make use of students from multiple schools in the surrounding area. Though usually

750-531: Is a musical ensemble that combines choral singing with choreographed dance, often integrated into a narrative story or overarching theme. Show choirs have been popularized by the American television show Glee but have a longer history dating back to glee clubs in London in the 18th century, musical theatre, music in the plays of William Shakespeare and the theatre of ancient Greece . Show choirs sing music as

800-490: Is an emotional style of music that often deals with romantic and intimate relationships , and to a lesser extent, loneliness , death , war , drug abuse , politics and religion , usually in a poignant but solemn manner. Ballads are generally melodic enough to get the listener's attention. Sentimental ballads are found in most music genres , such as pop , R&B , soul , country , folk , rock and electronic music . Usually slow in tempo , ballads tend to have

850-435: Is chosen from the first and only round of performance. In high school, the finals round commences after awards from the preliminary round are complete, where the top scoring groups perform again to compete for the title of Grand Champion of the contest. The number of groups in the finals round is up to the hosting school, but typically 5–6 choirs participate. Because they have another opportunity to perform, these groups are given

900-483: Is made up of four, 4’x 8′ sections, three tiers high (with tier heights averaging 8″, 16″ or 24″). This helps to provide easy use and audience sight lines to all performers (including the back row). Larger show choirs sometimes add additional platforms, stairs, boxes, backdrops, and/or other set pieces to compliment their show. To achieve a full choral sound with rich melodies and tonal variety, mixed-gender show choirs need males to cover all vocal ranges. One study done by

950-420: Is often an important characteristic of the genre. In most cases, there is consistency in costuming and makeup from person to person; this consistency extends to elements like hair, where singer/dancers will all style their hair in a visually consistent way. The choir usually has a backup band (often called the "show band", " pit " or "combo" if it includes a horn section) providing instrumental music to accompany

1000-536: Is part of the school curriculum and is a class taught during the day. For others, it is an extracurricular activity that requires practice to take place before or after school. Practices may begin as early as the summer, while other choirs don't start until much later. The competitive season takes place from January until April, with competitions held across the country every weekend during that time. [REDACTED] Media related to Show choirs at Wikimedia Commons Sentimental ballad A sentimental ballad

1050-565: The Italian domination of the London operatic scene. In America a distinction is drawn between ballads that are versions of European, particularly British and Irish songs , and ' Native American ballads ', developed without reference to earlier songs. A further development was the evolution of the blues ballad , which mixed the genre with Afro-American music . In the late 19th century, Danish folklorist Svend Grundtvig and Harvard professor Francis James Child attempted to record and classify all

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1100-466: The AC chart during this time owing to their ballad-sound. A popular trend in the early 2000s was remixing or re-recording dance music hits into acoustic ballads (for example, the "Candlelight Mix" versions of " Heaven " by DJ Sammy , " Listen to Your Heart " by DHT , and " Everytime We Touch " by Cascada ). In the 2010s, indie musicians like Imagine Dragons , Mumford & Sons , Of Monsters and Men ,

1150-424: The American television series, " Glee " was released. The television show is based around the workings of a fictional show choir. “Glee” creator, Ryan Murphy, invited Burbank High School’s 2008 Advanced Mixed choir, In Sync, to film their award winning Disco Medley to be featured as a flashback from Mr. Schuester’s time in high school Glee Club. Some individuals feel the television show does not accurately represent

1200-463: The B section is usually referred to as the bridge ; often a brief coda , sometimes based on material from the bridge, is added, as in " Over the Rainbow ". The most common use of the term "ballad" in modern pop and R&B music is for an emotional song about romance, breakup and/or longing . The singer would usually lament an unrequited or lost love, either where one party is oblivious to

1250-489: The Choral Journal claimed that many choir directors are simply resigned to having fewer males in their choir, but should make an effort to change. By reaching out to males and creating a more supportive community for high school boys, the hope is that more males will participate in show choir. For many high school students, show choir is a large commitment that takes over a large part of a school year. For some, show choir

1300-705: The Kid " (1974), the folk music sense is generally implied. The term ballad is also sometimes applied to strophic story-songs more generally, such as Don McLean 's " American Pie " (1971). Prominent artists who made sentimental ballads in the 1980s include Stevie Wonder , Lionel Richie , Peabo Bryson , Barry White , Luther Vandross and George Michael . The 1990s mainstream pop/R&B singers such as Boyz II Men , Celine Dion , Shania Twain , Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey . Newer female singer-songwriters such as Sarah McLachlan , Natalie Merchant , Jewel , Melissa Etheridge and Sheryl Crow also broke through on

1350-530: The Lumineers and Ed Sheeran had indie songs that crossed over to the adult contemporary charts, due to their ballad-heavy sound. Most pop standard and jazz ballads are built from a single, introductory verse , usually around 16 bars in length, and they end on the dominant – the chorus or refrain , usually 16 or 32 bars long and in AABA form (though other forms, such as ABAC, are not uncommon). In AABA forms,

1400-580: The album's second single. When grunge appeared as a counterpoint to the excesses of 1980s hard rock and glam metal, one of the distinctions of the grunge style was the absence of power ballads; however, some songs from this era such as "Rooster" by Alice in Chains (1992), which Ned Raggett described as the band's "own particular approach" to the style, and " Black Hole Sun " by Soundgarden (1994) have been described using this term, and songs in its subgenre post-grunge included ballads. Latin ballad refers to

1450-404: The boys basketball team won the 2007 Division 2 state championship. Tantasqua has two competitive show choirs , the mixed-gender "ENCORE!" and the all-female "Radiance". The program also hosts an annual competition. 42°09′36″N 72°07′52″W  /  42.160°N 72.131°W  / 42.160; -72.131 Show choirs A show choir (previously known as a " swing choir ")

1500-415: The competition for ethical purposes. However, they will often showcase their own show choir as an "exhibition," separate from the competing schools. The adjudicators (or judges) at these competitions are usually high school choir/music teachers, show choir directors, choreographers, arrangers, or performers from Broadway-style musicals. Judging is largely subjective and is based on a scoring style selected by

1550-465: The design of the show. Many show choirs participate in competitions, sometimes called "invitationals" (though most are not invitation-only events) or "festivals". These competitions are often held at the high school where the "host group" attends and sometimes performs as an exhibition. Though some events are held at auditoriums or other facilities that can accommodate larger crowds and provide better acoustic performance. Competitions can be as small as

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1600-561: The early 1970s, softer ballad songs by the Carpenters , Anne Murray , John Denver and Barry Manilow began to be played more often on "Top 40" radio. Some rock-oriented acts such as Queen and the Eagles also produced ballads. When the word ballad appears in the title of a song, as for example in the Beatles ' " The Ballad of John and Yoko " (1969) or Billy Joel 's " The Ballad of Billy

1650-532: The environment of a real show choir. Central Sound, a show choir from Lawrence Central High School in Indianapolis, Indiana was featured on a 2009 episode of the MTV television series, "Made." In the episode, the choir is raising money to attend FAME Chicago, a national show choir competition. Show choir is usually performed on stage risers, a series of platforms set up on a stage. The usual configuration at competitions

1700-657: The exception of "open" divisions, where groups of different types compete against each other. Show choir performers traditionally wear costumes, though the definition of what is considered a costume in this context is broad. Costumes range from conservative looks (such as formal tuxedos and ball gowns) to modern (tracksuits with name-brand sneakers) to avant-garde fashion (such as modern head-to-toe uniforms or revealing clothing). Additionally, many larger groups include two or more costumes in their show. Singer/dancers typically wear stage makeup and shoes conducive to dancing (called "character shoes"). Uniformity in look among performers

1750-503: The existence of the other, where one party has moved on, or where a romantic affair has affected the relationship. Simon Frith , the British sociomusicologist and former rock critic, identifies the origins of the power ballad in the emotional singing of soul artists, particularly Ray Charles , and the adaptation of this style by performers such as Eric Burdon , Tom Jones , and Joe Cocker to produce slow-tempo songs often building to

1800-427: The hosts. It is typical for competition scoresheets to place more emphasis on the quality of choral sound, while others delegate more points to other aspects of the show like the quality of visuals/choreography, band, and show design. Depending on the competition, an adjudicator may only judge their area of expertise (a choir director judging vocals, while a choreographer judging dance), or they may adjudicate all areas of

1850-422: The imagination of a group's choreographer or even outside performing arts professionals as well. As show choir has evolved, an increasing number of schools have invested a great deal of effort in creating quality sets that can be compared to professional stage shows. Many competitions include a preliminary round and a finals round. Middle school competitions do not hold a finals round. The winner from each division

1900-400: The known ballads and variants in their chosen regions. Since Child died before writing a commentary on his work it is uncertain exactly how and why he differentiated the 305 ballads printed that would be published as The English and Scottish Popular Ballads . There have been many different and contradictory attempts to classify traditional ballads by theme, but commonly identified types are

1950-420: The late 14th century and the oldest detailed material is Wynkyn de Worde's collection of Robin Hood ballads printed about 1495. Ballads at this time were originally composed in couplets with refrains in alternate lines. These refrains would have been sung by the dancers in time with the dance. In the 18th century, ballad operas developed as a form of English stage entertainment , partly in opposition to

2000-410: The later 19th century. Initially known as "tear-jerkers" or "drawing-room ballads ", they were generally sentimental, narrative, strophic songs published separately or as part of an opera , descendants perhaps of broadside ballads . As new genres of music began to emerge in the early 20th century, their popularity faded, but the association with sentimentality led to the term ballad being used for

2050-436: The opportunity to take suggestions from their critique judge (the judge that talk to the groups directly after the performance) and make adjustments to their finals performance to earn a better score. There are other judges that also score the show choirs and give them feedback for later. This feedback is given to the director, and is used to make deeper changes to the show during rehearsal hours. Hosting schools do not compete in

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2100-432: The participants. The different divisions may take place at a different time, day, or at a different location or venue, though usually within the same school or close geographic area. Show choir shows or "sets" can be presented in a multitude of ways, from a more traditional approach to modern theatrical performances that tell full-length stories. These performances are often created by the choir's director, but can stem from

2150-533: The performance area for the singer/dancers, but occasionally, a group will bring out members of the band onstage to accentuate thematic elements in the show. A "tech crew" or "stage crew" is also standard with most show choirs. A stage crew is composed of stage hands who handle aspects such as lighting, sound, and the stage setup. During a show, crew members' responsibilities include tasks such as helping performers change costumes, managing props, handing out microphones, running special effects, and other duties set out in

2200-534: The power ballad". In the 1980s, bands such as Journey and REO Speedwagon contributed to the power ballad becoming a staple of hard rock performers who wanted to gain more radio airplay and satisfy their female audience members with a slower, more emotional love song. Mötley Crüe was one of the bands showcasing this style, with songs such as " Home Sweet Home " and " You're All I Need ". Nearly every hard rock and glam metal band wrote at least one power ballad for each album, and record labels often released these as

2250-630: The rebirth of swing music , which was sometimes referred to as " easy listening " and was, in essence, a revival of popularity of the "sweet bands" that had been popular during the swing era , but with more emphasis on the vocalist and the sentimentality. Soft rock , a subgenre that mainly consists of ballads, was derived from folk rock in the late 1960s, using acoustic instruments and putting more emphasis on melody and harmonies. Major sentimental ballad artists of this decade included Barbra Streisand , Nana Mouskouri , Elton John , Engelbert Humperdinck , Carole King , Cat Stevens and James Taylor . By

2300-453: The religious, supernatural, tragic, love ballads, historic, legendary and humorous. By the Victorian era , ballad had come to mean any sentimental popular song, especially so-called "royalty ballads". Some of Stephen Foster 's songs exemplify this genre. By the 1920s, composers of Tin Pan Alley and Broadway used ballad to signify a slow, sentimental tune or love song, often written in

2350-417: The score sheet. Additionally, a separate judge may be added to the panel to judge the bands, and/or to select outstanding performers for separate awards (often referred to as "caption" awards). Comparing different forms of art comes with an inherent subjectiveness, so it is not uncommon for judges or geographical regions to bias certain styles of shows. This sometimes leads to groups not competing out-of-state –

2400-416: The singers' voices. Instrumentation selection often varies between choirs and even from one group's song selection to another, but a common show choir band consists of trumpets, trombone, alto/soprano sax, tenor sax, piano, and synthesizer, guitar, bass, auxiliary percussion, and a drum set. Bands may include other instruments such as violin or cello if their show requires it. The band is usually situated behind

2450-417: The songs together in a common theme are becoming popular across the country. Within a song, vocal lines typically alternate between unison or octave singing, and two-or-more-part polyphonic harmony. Songs are chosen, adapted, and arranged from a variety of sources including popular music, jazz standards, and Broadway musicals, but rarely make use of classical music. Original music has also been performed by

2500-411: The start of the finals performance. Most show choir shows consist of a variety of musical selections, often including several choreographed, fast-paced pieces and one slower piece performed with limited or no choreography. This slower number—usually a ballad —exists primarily to showcase the ensemble's singing ability. In California, it is a requirement that at least one minute of any one set be sung

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