The football coach was tired of seeing that “little blond choir teacher” crying every day in the teachers’ lounge. The blond, Verda Slinkard, was frustrated. She couldn’t get enough students excited about joining her show choir. One reason was the recurring change in music teachers. Slinkard, however, was here to stay—and awe.
Today, many innovations in the show choir lexicon are known to have started right here at Ellettsville’s Edgewood High School. On July 25, the public can witness the excellence of Music Warehouse, the school’s multi-award-guzzling show choir.
Verda Slinkard has been on staff at Show Choir Camps of America (showchoir.com) for more than 30 years and judges throughout the country. She founded Edgewood ‘s Music Warehouse show choir, now celebrating 50 years of show-stopping (and -starting) success.
The musical performance, to be at the high school, welcomes not only its show choir alumni singers, dancers, musicians and crew, but their families plus the entire community.
Disney Parks, the Grand Ole Opry, New York theaters, etc.
From dancing on boxes in the “Cafetorium” to performing at Disney Parks, the Grand Ole Opry and in New York theaters, Music Warehouse has hung on to its reputation among show choirs.
A song that attendees will hear is “Beautiful City.” It’s special for the Music Warehouse show choir. “Beautiful City” (John-Michael Tebelak and Stephen Schwartz, 1971) is the first song the original Ellettsville group learned in four-part harmony, Slinkard said. She and Music Warehouse alumnus Kristi Alderson are volunteering as the July event’s organizers.
The choir has performed “Beautiful City” in nearly every spring concert and graduation, along with other occasions.
July’s show bursts with solos, duets and other subgroups, five songs from Music Warehouse’s competition show, songs by alumni, songs by Kool & the Gang, and surprise numbers. Included are performances spanning Music Warehouse’s history as well as the current ensemble. Alumni from across the country are expected to return for the once-in-a-generation celebration.
Lobby to become a museum
In addition, the school lobby will become a sort of museum, Alderson said.
“We’ll have pictures, memorabilia, a book about Music Warehouse. And there’ll be a Q and A with Verda (Slinkard).”
“Verda was always there for a lot of the kids,” Alderson, who was a student at Edgewood, said. “Verda was one of the few adults who let me sit in her office and cry. She ‘got’ us.”
Alderson still remembers the show choir dances she did in the eighth grade. “My daughter, who grew up knowing Verda, has seen all of this.” Alderson and her daughter will be performing in the show.
Slinkard’s performing groups have long been trend setters in the nation. In the mid-1970s Slinkard (then Savage) established the first Music Warehouse, then called “Newcomer’s Revue.” It was a small mixed show choir that featured singing and dancing.
Boys used to think show choirs were ‘sissy’; ‘Grand Championships’ followed
“When I first saw a show choir,” Slinkard said on the phone,” I was amazed. I’d never seen anything like a choir that sang and danced. She was eager to start one. However, boys, it seemed, lacked the girls’ enthusiasm for hamming it up. “The boys thought it was sissy.”
In 1975 Slinkard’s college friend Ron Hellems told her about this burgeoning genre in the Midwest, “show choir.” Slinkard and a group of students took a van to Ft. Wayne, Ind., and Bishop Luers High School, where the first show choir invitational occurred. Bishop Luers had the onlyshow choir competition, prompting any choral group wanting to compete to visit the small Catholic school each year. Slinkard decided to bring Music Warehouse to the competition. Within five years, Music Warehouse was named Grand Champion of the prestigious contest.
Edgewood performed its first musical in 1976, “Li’l Abner.” The show, based on the comic strip, stomped with success. Not only did musicians and singers participate, but student athletes and artists joined the effort.
In the early 1980s, Slinkard was detecting scant student gusto. A “cool” boy, whom most of the other students admired, noticed Slinkard’s despondency. “He asked me, ‘Would you like me to help?’ “
‘The very next day 106 sixth graders walked in to my classroom’
“The very next day 106 sixth graders walked in to my classroom,” Slinkard said. “And when they became seniors, they actually beat many of the other choirs.”
The group billowed, becoming one of the premier show choirs in the U.S. They have traveled coast to coast, winning an assortment of Grand Championships, as well as honors such as Best Vocal, Best Choreography, Best Back-Up Band, Best Crew, Best Soloist.
Music Warehouse continues to compete at show choir invitationals, as well as hosting the annual ” ‘Tis the Season” holiday concert and “Contest of Champions,” Edgewood’s own show choir competition.
Hundreds of students have taken part in the ensemble over the past 50 years. Some alumni have pursued careers in music, education, entertainment and other related fields.
“This show will honor everyone (and there have been many) who has helped make Music Warehouse,” Slinkard said.
Slinkard has had other teaching positions, and is now back at Edgewood, this time as a volunteer for the anniversary show. “I began where I ended, ending where I began.”
Fifty years ago, Edgewood had had no choral program, nor had any choir teacher stayed for more than a year, Slinkard said. After finding a position with the Richland-Bean Blossom Community School Corporation, Slinkard talked with Robert “Bob” Stoll, founder and then-director of Indiana University’s Singing Hoosiers. With his help, Slinkard started her Edgewood’s choral program.
Many have helped build Music Warehouse. J. Kevin Butler offered to give voice lessons to Music Warehouse members. He taught students in Slinkard’s home and was part of the choir’s growth in the early 1980s. Other acquaintances provided help too. Brian Paulsen is now the director of choirs at Edgewood High School, where he directs four choirs, including Music Warehouse.
Before autumn of 2012, Paulsen was the choral director at Edgewood Junior High. With his leadership, his concert choirs have succeeded in many performances and contests, regularly receiving Gold ratings in annual Indiana State School Music Association festivals every spring. His show choirs have been named Grand Champion in several contests over the last 11 years.
If you go
WHAT: 50th Anniversary Concert by Music Warehouse, Ellettsville award-winning show choir
WHEN: Show starts at 7 p.m. July 25. The public can “walk through history” from 4-6:30 p.m.
WHERE: Edgewood High School auditorium, 601 Edgewood Dr., Ellettsville
TICKETS: $15 at www.EHSMusicWarehouse.com. Reserved seating. For details visit www.EHSMusicWarehouse.com
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Premiere show choir celebrates 50 years with concert, memorabilia
Reporting by Connie Shakalis, For the Herald-Times / The Herald-Times
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Connie Shakalis, For the Herald-Times | USA TODAY Network
