Showchoirs return to state finals

Mar. 13—GOSHEN — Fairfield High School musicians are again taking the stage at a state finals competition.

The Fairfield Expressions and Fairfield Fusion show choirs gained entry into the ISSMA Show Choir State Finals taking place this weekend, with new Head Choral Director Clayton Thomas, a Fairfield graduate.

"It's given me a huge advantage that I already know the community," Thomas said of his move to take on the choral department of his high school alma mater just months after graduating college. "I already know the way that things are run around here. It allowed me to come in and carry on the tradition and the standard of choral music that Fairfield has."

Still, for Thomas, being in charge of the program instead of just a participant was a huge change.

"It's been really eye-opening to see the activity of show choir from the perspective of show choir as a teacher from having been a student as well," Thomas said. "There's a lot of work that goes into it. When I think back on it it's astonishing how much we've been through, from choosing the music, going through it with the kids, adding the dancing to it, adding the band to it, and lights to the show. It's been really incredible to see the progress that we've made throughout the entire season and see the product that we have now."

The Fairfield Expressions show is called "Living In My Own World," and Thomas described it as reminiscent of the "Barbie" movie from summer of 2023.

"They're just having fun wearing pink," he explained. "They start to individualize and realize it's OK to be yourself and who you are."

The Fairfield Expressions will perform in the Univoice Division at Franklin Central High School, 6215 S. Franklin Road, Indianapolis, at 10 a.m.

In the afternoon, Fairfield Fusion will take on other top small-division schools in the Mixed Division, with a performance scheduled for 7 p.m.

Fairfield Fusion's show is called "Ups and Downs," and offers a setlist of several songs with high fun energy such as "Defying Gravity," from "Wicked the Musical" and "One Day I'll Fly Away," from "Moulin Rouge."

Dani Messick is the education and entertainment reporter for The Goshen News. She can be reached at dani.messick@goshennews.com or at 574-538-2065.