About Music Showcase's Hosts

BURROUGHS MUSIC SHOWCASE is a production of the John Burroughs High School Vocal Music Association (VMA). Under the direction of Mr. Brendan Jennings, over 200 students comprise the VMA in four curricular choirs, three extra­curricular ensembles and two technical theater classes. The advanced-mixed choir, Powerhouse, is one of the most recognized show choirs in the country, having appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show, Dancing With the Stars, The CBS Evening News and NBC’s The Voice. They were featured in the 2010 British documentary Gleeful – The Real Show Choirs of America and performed in Cathay Pacific's annual Chinese New Year’s Night Parade in Hong Kong on February 3, 2011. In August 2011, 15 members traveled to Beijing, China as part of the Beijing Municipal Foreign Affair’s Office Global Grand Gathering of Boys and Girls, broadcast on China Central Television. Powerhouse has twice been awarded FAME Events Show Choir Cup, as well as numerous championships at FAME Events and Showstoppers show choir competitions, and on the Southern California show choir circuit.

Plans for 27th Annual Competition Underway

BURBANK, Oct 2011

Burroughs Music Showcase, presented for the 27th time by the Vocal Music Association of John Burroughs High School, Burbank, CA will be held April 13-14, 2012. High School choirs will compete in five show choir divisions – advanced mixed, advanced women’s, men’s, intermediate mixed and intermediate women’s, as well as a concert choir division. New for this year is the addition of a division for middle school show choirs.

Burroughs choral director Brendan Jennings says Showcase, as it is often referred, is a highlight for many choirs in the competition circuit. “We’re very fortunate to have such terrific resources at our disposal. We can guarantee competing choirs that our lighting, audio and organization will be topnotch, and that our judging panel will include industry professionals as well as show choir experts who can give a fresh perspective in their critiques. It also doesn’t hurt that we have some of the countries top tourist destinations right in our own back yard.”

Jennings says the new middle school division grew out of the strong relationship Burroughs has with its own feeder middle schools. “Much of our choirs’ success at Burroughs is due to the fact the kids entering our program come well-trained. Anything we can do to promote performing arts education in our middle schools is a plus for us.”

Also for the first time, Showcase will be a two-day affair. “Last year, we had 30 show choirs performing – plus three concert choirs and about 25 soloists; all on one very long Saturday,” Jennings said. “Hopefully we’ll be able to make the event less strenuous on our judges and volunteers, as well accommodate a few more choirs.”

Further information on Showcase can be obtained at the event website, www.BurroughsMusicShowcase.org, or by email: info@BurroughsMusicShowcase.org.

Choirs To Compete In NYC

BURBANK, Sept 2011

Powerhouse, the advanced mixed choir at John Burroughs High School, Burbank, CA will travel to New York City next March to compete at a FAME Events show choir competition.  Also making the journey and competing in their own division will be the advanced women’s choir Sound Sensations. FAME Events is an Arizona-based company hosting choral competitions in Chicago, Orlando, Los Angeles, New York and Branson, MO.

Both choirs were finalists when Burroughs last attended this contest in 2009, with Powerhouse bringing home the coveted Show Choir Cup and the title “Grand Champion.”  Powerhouse previously won the Show Choir Cup in 2001, as well as Grand Championships at FAME contests in 2007 (Orlando) and 2008 (Chicago). Sound Sensations went undefeated in competition in 2010, and capped 2011 with a victory at the Grand River National Show Choir Invitational in La Crosse, WI.

John Burroughs choirs are under the direction of Mr. Brendan Jennings, assisted by artistic director Jen Oundjian.