SING! 2022

On the nights of October 14 and 15, current students and alumni of Hardin-Simmons University gathered in Behrens Auditorium for the 60th annual SING! competition. Created in 1962 to encourage various clubs to find community through dancing and singing, SING! exists today as a competition among various clubs on campus. 

Lacey Bilyeu performed at the 2022 SING! Competition.

This year, SING! was hosted by the new School of Music Council, which consists of members from HSU’s choir and the Cowboy Band. Choir President Lacey Bilyeu and Cowboy Band President Jarett Daniel co-directed SING! with the help of a committee of students.  

Beginning in the summer, these students met to finalize things like the SING! budget, ticket sales, finding judges, and securing the pit band with the help of faculty and staff members, such as Dr. Romines, Dr. Scherr, Christian Fortner, Allison Goodwin, and Stacy Martin.  

When the fall semester started, social clubs and dance groups hit the ground running with nightly rehearsals as they worked to create and practice their performances for the October competition.  

This year’s winner, “Zappa,” consisted of two men’s social clubs: Kappa Phi Omega (or Kappa) and Zeta Omega Phi (Zoo). With only 11 people in the all-men performance, preparing for SING! required all hands on deck to reach their goal of a hilarious and music-filled twist on the movie Top Gun.  

“Our two clubs have a lot in common, and our story played into brotherhood so well. We were able to see ourselves in the two main characters: brothers who bonded over a shared interest,” shared Zoo’s SING! Chair Zorian Burley. 

Although Kappa and Zoo have joined forces for SING! a few times before, including 2021 for their Twilight themed performance, they have never won the competition until now.  

Alex Govea performed with “Zappa” on stage.

Alex Govea, the lead in Zappa’s performance, shared, “My favorite part of performing was the exhilaration felt when we realized this show could really put a smile on people’s faces.” 

“SING! brings students out of their comfort zones as they try things they never thought they would, but it also brings our entire student body closer together,” shared Bilyeu. “For weeks before, you can feel the excitement growing and people talking about it around campus.” 

From the buzzing excitement behind the curtain to the roaring laughter and applause from the audience, SING! is a wonderful example each year of the continued support our students have from the HSU Family.