Members of the West Hancock High School jazz vocal group Electros perform a song at the vocal jazz workshop Wednesday at the Surf Ballroom. Each high school vocal group was critiqued by the group, Tonic Sol-fa.
March 05, 2014 6:15 pm • ASHLEY MILLER ashley.miller@globegazette.comCLEAR LAKE | One of North Iowa's newest high school jazz choirs had a chance to perform for Twin Cities a capella professionals during a special Surf Ballroom clinic.
Electros, an audition-only West Hancock group of three men and four women, sang the ballad "And So It Goes" for the four members of Tonic Sol-fa Wednesday afternoon.
Baritone Mark McGowan and bass Jared Dove praised their performance.
"That was a beautiful song with nice tones," McGowan said.
For a recently learned song, Dove said West Hancock's rendition was "pretty darn good."
THE QUARTET THEN LED the high school group through several exercises, which emphasized lightening notes in preparation for the next phrase of music and smoothly delivering diphthongs, which occur when two vowel sounds are part of one syllable.
Tenor Shaun Johnson highlighted the importance of cohesion, which he said the group could accomplish by periodically making eye contact or nodding at each other.
"It's just like how sports teams have to rely on each other," he explained. "This is such a sweet song, so I want you to move me so I'm like, 'Dang, I want to go out and cry.' "
For a newly-formed chorus, three Electros singers admitted the process was nerve-wracking and a bit intimidating. Larger groups from five other districts, Garner-Hayfield, Bishop Garrigan, Newton, Bondurant and Cherokee-Washington, also performed during half-hour slots.
"It's fun to have a chance to work on harder music, but I was so nervous that I started shaking right away," said Monica Loeschen, a 15-year-old sophomore.
BUT THE CLINIC HAS SERVED as good practice for an upcoming concert. Arely Romero, a 16-year-old sophomore, said she was grateful for the tips and constructive criticism.
As students from a rural district, they appreciated the big opportunity.
"It was great for our small-town school to be receiving feedback from a well-known group," said Whitney Burgardt, a 17-year-old junior.
This is the first year West Hancock vocalists have sung jazz, according to music instructor Stacy Olmstead.
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