OUR HISTORY
Dakota High School, located in Macomb, Michigan, is part of the Chippewa Valley Schools District and has proudly served student musicians since opening in 1995. Over the past three decades, Dakota Choirs has grown into one of Michigan’s premier high school choral and musical theatre programs, recognized statewide for artistic excellence, award-winning performances, and outstanding student achievement.
Dakota Choirs offers students a wide range of curricular and extracurricular performance opportunities through Treble Chorus, Men’s Chorus, Women’s Varsity Choir, Mixed Varsity Choir, Show Choir, traditional Solo & Ensemble, Musical Theatre Solo & Ensemble, student-led men’s and women’s acapella groups, and special collaborative performances throughout the year. Students regularly participate in statewide honors ensembles, professional collaborations, and MSVMA events including State Choral Festival, All-State Honors Choir, the MSVMA Acapella Festival, and the MSVMA All-State Festival.
Throughout its history, Dakota Choirs has performed with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Opera House Orchestra, Detroit Chamber Winds, Warren Symphony Orchestra, and Macomb Symphony Orchestra, while also appearing in concert with nationally recognized artists including Josh Groban and Barenaked Ladies. Dakota ensembles have performed at the Michigan Youth Arts Festival, the Michigan ACDA Conference, Broadway theatres in New York City, and national performance festivals in Hawaii.
In recent years, Dakota Choirs has emerged as one of Michigan’s highest-performing comprehensive choral programs. Between 2024 and 2026, Dakota ensembles earned some of the top reported MSVMA State Choral Festival scores in the state, including a historic perfect 90/90 by Women’s Varsity Choir in 2025 and an 87 by Mixed Varsity Choir in 2026, tying for one of the highest reported scores statewide.
Dakota Choirs has also received significant statewide recognition in musical theatre performance. In 2026, Dakota’s Mixed Varsity Choir became the first ensemble in school history selected to perform at the prestigious MSVMA All-State Festival Gala Concert as a featured Musical Theatre Large Ensemble. That same season, Dakota placed three ensembles among Michigan’s statewide Top Five finalist ensembles for Musical Theatre Large Ensemble performance.
In 2027, Dakota’s Mixed Varsity Choir was selected as one of only two featured ensembles statewide for the Michigan Music Conference Specialized Choral Hour through adjudicated MSVMA selection. The adjudication panel specifically recognized the ensemble’s show choir artistry and musical excellence.
Dakota students have also earned increasing statewide and national recognition through solo performance and honors ensembles. In 2026, Dakota senior AJ Denomme was named the Male Sutton Foster Award Winner for the State of Michigan and advanced to the National High School Musical Theatre Awards (The Jimmy Awards®) in New York City — becoming the first student in Dakota and Chippewa Valley Schools history to receive this honor.
Also in 2026, Dakota Choirs was selected as the featured choir for Foreigner’s national “Double Trouble Double Vision” tour performance at Pine Knob Music Theatre, representing the Detroit metropolitan area in a live performance alongside the legendary rock band.
Today, Dakota Choirs continues to build a culture centered on excellence, artistry, collaboration, leadership, and student growth while providing meaningful musical experiences for hundreds of students each year both on and off the stage.
Dakota Choirs offers students a wide range of curricular and extracurricular performance opportunities through Treble Chorus, Men’s Chorus, Women’s Varsity Choir, Mixed Varsity Choir, Show Choir, traditional Solo & Ensemble, Musical Theatre Solo & Ensemble, student-led men’s and women’s acapella groups, and special collaborative performances throughout the year. Students regularly participate in statewide honors ensembles, professional collaborations, and MSVMA events including State Choral Festival, All-State Honors Choir, the MSVMA Acapella Festival, and the MSVMA All-State Festival.
Throughout its history, Dakota Choirs has performed with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Opera House Orchestra, Detroit Chamber Winds, Warren Symphony Orchestra, and Macomb Symphony Orchestra, while also appearing in concert with nationally recognized artists including Josh Groban and Barenaked Ladies. Dakota ensembles have performed at the Michigan Youth Arts Festival, the Michigan ACDA Conference, Broadway theatres in New York City, and national performance festivals in Hawaii.
In recent years, Dakota Choirs has emerged as one of Michigan’s highest-performing comprehensive choral programs. Between 2024 and 2026, Dakota ensembles earned some of the top reported MSVMA State Choral Festival scores in the state, including a historic perfect 90/90 by Women’s Varsity Choir in 2025 and an 87 by Mixed Varsity Choir in 2026, tying for one of the highest reported scores statewide.
Dakota Choirs has also received significant statewide recognition in musical theatre performance. In 2026, Dakota’s Mixed Varsity Choir became the first ensemble in school history selected to perform at the prestigious MSVMA All-State Festival Gala Concert as a featured Musical Theatre Large Ensemble. That same season, Dakota placed three ensembles among Michigan’s statewide Top Five finalist ensembles for Musical Theatre Large Ensemble performance.
In 2027, Dakota’s Mixed Varsity Choir was selected as one of only two featured ensembles statewide for the Michigan Music Conference Specialized Choral Hour through adjudicated MSVMA selection. The adjudication panel specifically recognized the ensemble’s show choir artistry and musical excellence.
Dakota students have also earned increasing statewide and national recognition through solo performance and honors ensembles. In 2026, Dakota senior AJ Denomme was named the Male Sutton Foster Award Winner for the State of Michigan and advanced to the National High School Musical Theatre Awards (The Jimmy Awards®) in New York City — becoming the first student in Dakota and Chippewa Valley Schools history to receive this honor.
Also in 2026, Dakota Choirs was selected as the featured choir for Foreigner’s national “Double Trouble Double Vision” tour performance at Pine Knob Music Theatre, representing the Detroit metropolitan area in a live performance alongside the legendary rock band.
Today, Dakota Choirs continues to build a culture centered on excellence, artistry, collaboration, leadership, and student growth while providing meaningful musical experiences for hundreds of students each year both on and off the stage.