Announcing the 2025 Gold Cup Awards

The 2025 Gold Cup Awards are:

Instrumental Ensembles

Outstanding Single Orff Piece: "Water Dance" by Aldine Orff Ensemble

Outstanding Instrumental Precision: Worsham Orff Ensemble

Outstanding Overall Orff Ensemble: Timber Creek PULSE Percussion Ensemble

Outstanding Drumming Ensemble: Stephens Orff Ensemble

Choral Groups

Outstanding Primary Choir (grades K-3) - Reese Rising Stars Choir for "Charlie Over the Ocean".

Outstanding Younger Choir: KIPP Sharp Singers for "Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around".

Outstanding Older Elementary Choir (3rd - 5th) - Durham Spotlight Choir for "Gong Xi, Gong Xi".

Most Outstanding District or Community Choir: North Houston Children's Choir.

Most Challenging Choral Program: Veritas Children's Chorus

Outstanding Choreography - "Mighty Eagle Song" by Sheldon Lake Elementary Choir

Best Behaved Group in Entire Contest - Calvert Cougar Choir - scores tallied from monitors throughout the entire event

Gold Cup Awards may be given to:

Outstanding Single Orff Piece

Outstanding Orff Precision

Outstanding Overall Orff Ensemble

________________________

Choral Groups

Outstanding Non-Auditioned Choir

Outstanding Auditioned Choir

Outstanding Primary Choir (grades K-2)

Outstanding 3rd and 4th-grade Choir

Outstanding Older Elementary Choir

Most Outstanding Choral Performance

Most Challenging Choral Program

Outstanding Choreography in Entire Festival

Best Behaved Group in Entire Contest

(scores tallied and averaged from judges, monitors, and adult teachers that were helping)

Most Outstanding Choir of the Day

Each choir or instrumental ensemble will receive a participation trophy. (Sometimes directors use this award as an incentive for groups to "earn their trophy"). All monitors and judges give points to each group for behavior rankings from the moment groups arrive to the time that they exit.

Best of Class Awards are given to groups that exceed the expectations of the judges. Listed below are examples of "Best of Class" awards announced via email on Monday immediately following the invitational.

Bravo Award - presented to the choir or ensemble with the best overall behavior and performance etiquette during the festival. Groups are observed from the moment they enter the festival until the moment they exit the festival.
Choreography Award - presented to the choir with the best-executed choreography.
Tonal Awards - presented to the choir with the best overall tone quality using head voices and pure tones.
Instrumental Award - presented to an instrumental ensemble for the best arrangement and execution of a single piece.
Novelty Award - presented to the most outstanding novel instrumental group (ex: a non-traditional Orff ensemble that uses buckets or kitchen utensils).
Drumming Award - presented for an outstanding piece involving drumming.
Bells or Tone Chimes Award - presented to the most outstanding bell or tone chime ensemble.
Other - Special Awards as deemed appropriate by the judges.
Please note: If adult or non-member substitutions are made for absent student performers, the group will forfeit their eligibility for a Best of Class Award.

Announcing the 2025 Gold Cup Awards

The 2025 Gold Cup Awards are:

Instrumental Ensembles

Choral Groups

Gold Cup Awards may be given to:

Outstanding Single Orff Piece

Outstanding Orff Precision

Outstanding Overall Orff Ensemble

________________________

Choral Groups

Outstanding Non-Auditioned Choir

Outstanding Auditioned Choir

Outstanding Primary Choir (grades K-2)

Outstanding 3rd and 4th-grade Choir

Outstanding Older Elementary Choir

Most Outstanding Choral Performance

Most Challenging Choral Program

Outstanding Choreography in Entire Festival

Best Behaved Group in Entire Contest

(scores tallied and averaged from judges, monitors, and adult teachers that were helping)

Most Outstanding Choir of the Day

Each choir or instrumental ensemble will receive a participation trophy. (Sometimes directors use this award as an incentive for groups to "earn their trophy"). All monitors and judges give points to each group for behavior rankings from the moment groups arrive to the time that they exit.

Best of Class Awards are given to groups that exceed the expectations of the judges. Listed below are examples of "Best of Class" awards announced via email on Monday immediately following the invitational.

Bravo Award - presented to the choir or ensemble with the best overall behavior and performance etiquette during the festival. Groups are observed from the moment they enter the festival until the moment they exit the festival.

Choreography Award - presented to the choir with the best-executed choreography.

Tonal Awards - presented to the choir with the best overall tone quality using head voices and pure tones.

Instrumental Award - presented to an instrumental ensemble for the best arrangement and execution of a single piece.

Novelty Award - presented to the most outstanding novel instrumental group (ex: a non-traditional Orff ensemble that uses buckets or kitchen utensils).

Drumming Award - presented for an outstanding piece involving drumming.

Bells or Tone Chimes Award - presented to the most outstanding bell or tone chime ensemble.

Other - Special Awards as deemed appropriate by the judges.

Please note: If adult or non-member substitutions are made for absent student performers, the group will forfeit their eligibility for a Best of Class Award.

Announcing the 2025 Gold Cup Awards

The 2025 Gold Cup Awards are:

Instrumental Ensembles

Choral Groups

Gold Cup Awards may be given to:

Outstanding Single Orff Piece

Outstanding Orff Precision

Outstanding Overall Orff Ensemble

________________________

Choral Groups

Outstanding Non-Auditioned Choir

Outstanding Auditioned Choir

Outstanding Primary Choir (grades K-2)

Outstanding 3rd and 4th-grade Choir

Outstanding Older Elementary Choir

Most Outstanding Choral Performance

Most Challenging Choral Program

Outstanding Choreography in Entire Festival

Best Behaved Group in Entire Contest

(scores tallied and averaged from judges, monitors, and adult teachers that were helping)

Most Outstanding Choir of the Day

Each choir or instrumental ensemble will receive a participation trophy. (Sometimes directors use this award as an incentive for groups to "earn their trophy"). All monitors and judges give points to each group for behavior rankings from the moment groups arrive to the time that they exit.

Best of Class Awards are given to groups that exceed the expectations of the judges. Listed below are examples of "Best of Class" awards announced via email on Monday immediately following the invitational.

​Bravo Award - presented to the choir or ensemble with the best overall behavior and performance etiquette during the festival. Groups are observed from the moment they enter the festival until the moment they exit the festival.

Choreography Award - presented to the choir with the best-executed choreography.

Tonal Awards - presented to the choir with the best overall tone quality using head voices and pure tones.

Instrumental Award - presented to an instrumental ensemble for the best arrangement and execution of a single piece.

Novelty Award - presented to the most outstanding novel instrumental group (ex: a non-traditional Orff ensemble that uses buckets or kitchen utensils).

Drumming Award - presented for an outstanding piece involving drumming.

Bells or Tone Chimes Award - presented to the most outstanding bell or tone chime ensemble.

Other - Special Awards as deemed appropriate by the judges.

​Please note: If adult or non-member substitutions are made for absent student performers, the group will forfeit their eligibility for a Best of Class Award.

Bravo Award - presented to the choir or ensemble with the best overall behavior and performance etiquette during the festival. Groups are observed from the moment they enter the festival until the moment they exit the festival.

Please note: If adult or non-member substitutions are made for absent student performers, the group will forfeit their eligibility for a Best of Class Award.