Friend de Coup takes 2nd in Minn. event

• Friend de Coup shows well

Mitchell High School’s show choir, Friend de Coup, performs during the Totino-Grace Spectacular show choir competition Saturday in Fridley, Minn. Show choir director Chris Miller said Friend de Coup took second place in the weekend competition. (Photo courtesy of Nancy Boyd)

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Mitchell High School’s show choir took one of the top spots in its weekend competition in Minnesota.

Director Chris Miller said the show choir, Friend de Coup, was awarded second place overall at the Totino-Grace Spectacular Saturday in Fridley, Minn.

“It’s the best that we’ve done at a Minnesota competition since I’ve been here,” Miller said. “We’re happy, the kids are happy. It was great.”

The event’s website showed 14 teams entered to compete, several of which were from the Twin Cities area, Miller said.

“The level of the groups that we competed against, at this competition, was the highest level we’ve faced so far,” Miller said. “They knew they had to step up their game, and they did.”

Miller said it is easy for show choirs to plateau at this point in the season, but Friend de Coup has worked hard to improve based on judges’ comments and direction from him, choreographer Stephen Todd and instrumental director Julie Van Gorp.

“To be seeing the ensemble continue to get better at each competition is great. It takes a lot of work, it takes a lot of mental preparation,” Miller said.

“They’ve been digging in deep and really doing a fantastic job of rising to the occasion every time.”

The remaining Friend de Coup season includes the following competitions:

• March 9: Wheaton Warrenville South Choral Classic, Wheaton, Ill.

• March 16: Mitchell Show Choir Classic, Corn Palace, 18 groups. Mitchell will host and perform, but will not compete.

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