TG’s Encore Singers

Veronica Kuffel, Editor


The show choir world at TG is one of the main hubs for kids with an interest in music. There is so much interest in Company of Singers, the jewel of the school and the ultimate varsity show choir. And who could forget the Testosterones, the nationwide heartthrobs. However, many people often forget about the group that started the careers of many famous TG singers—Encore Singers.

The JV group started as a co-ed, but in recent years, switched to all girls. Encore welcomes any girls with any or no experience at all and usually consists of freshmen, sophomores, and anyone new to show choir. This leads to varying levels of success over the years, and although they are not as consistent as Company or Tones, many people do not realize how vital this group is for all of the most incredible female singers at Totino Grace.

Encore taught me that singing is a freedom,” says Grace Savard, a key soloist in recent Company years and music minister. “It acts as an escape from reality and let’s you tell a story through song.”

Co-writer of this year’s worship song, “Dare to l Love,” Grace is only one of the several amazing voices who found their roots in Encore. In the past years, more than 90% of the girls in Company came from Encore Singers. It’s an awesome way for girls to gain their confidence and footing in the fast and competitive show choir world.

Encore’s all girls themes have ranged from confident beauty queens to color schemes, often taking a “girl power” approach to promoting girls and what they do. Last year, the theme was definitely one for the books. Sophomore Liz Connolly comments,

“Last year our show was a Waiting Tables theme. It was about women who work hard every day to feed their family’s mouths. The theme and show symbolized that if we worked hard enough and tried we could succeed.”

Through practices twice a week, the group would go over their routine and clean it. They picked soloists and worked on their signature hair with tons of hairspray, while also bonding and growing closer to each other. Encore had 4 competitions last year, performing their routine to crowds of excited fans. They came home with a 3rd place in the prep division and several honorable mentions; this was one of the most successful years in Encore’s entire existence. The result? More than half of the group’s girls were accepted into this year’s Company of Singers, a record high.

This year, the group will be performing a fairytale themed show with songs from Into the Woods, Enchanted, and Disney. Encore is once again showcasing some new faces and excellent talent.

“I’m excited for this upcoming season I’ve never been involved in any competitive dance or singing groups so I think it will be fun,” says Alicia Hamilton, a freshman rookie to the group. “I think this season will be a new and interesting experience for all involved.”

To sum it up, Encore Singers is an outstanding way to make awesome friends, learn to sing and, and potentially become one of TG’s great show choir performers. In the words of Molly Setter, another freshman,

“I’m very excited for our upcoming season on Encore!  I can’t wait to start putting all of the aspects of our show together, and just to get to know the group better.”