Hark! The Target team members sing.
One of the most celebrated corporate choirs left of the Mississippi (okay, so maybe we’re a little biased) — Target’s singing group, dubbed “The Spots” — is one of more than 100 social networks open to team members at headquarters.
If you’re envisioning a scene straight out of “Glee” or “Pitch Perfect,” you wouldn’t be too far off. The nearly 40-member crew of crooners practice twice a week over the lunch hour.
The Spots began as a holiday choir, but was officially founded in 2005 and hasn’t stopping singing since!
Between auditions, rehearsals, performances and a friendly annual sing-off with other corporate choirs (yes, those are real), we sat down with choir director and Target team member Katie Hines to hear more about this unique group.
What is the mission of The Spots? The Spots take pride in sharing Target’s core values with team members, guests and the community. We perform year round at more than 30 internal meetings and off-site events. Fun fact: In 2012, The Spots accumulated 1,076 volunteer hours during 30 different performances—and that doesn’t even include rehearsals!
How are members chosen? Members of The Spots must audition by singing a song of their choice, sight-reading a simple melody and completing a basic dance step. Pianists audition by playing a song of their choice and completing a sight-reading exercise. I always say that I’m so lucky to have such a wonderful group of talented singers to direct.
How often do you practice? I lead choir rehearsals twice a week over the lunch hour. The group memorizes music and performs choreography, as well. Each summer and holiday season, the group also prepares during a seven-hour boot camp where, naturally, lunch is served via “Spotluck.”
Take a listen to The Spots live below…
Tell us about the annual sing-off with other corporate choirs. It’s actually surprising how many corporations have a musician’s network, whether it’s instrumentalists or singers. There are quite a few other corporate choirs in the Twin Cities alone. The past two years, we’ve shared the stage for a summer concert at Lake Harriet in Minneapolis with General Mills, Wells Fargo and Ameriprise. Each company choir performs their own selections, and we sing four combined songs.
What has been your favorite performance to date? Several years ago at a community event, one of the Dayton brothers attended and thanked the choir for a wonderful performance. He shared with the audience that we truly embraced the spirit of Dayton’s—Target’s predecessor company—by sharing our talents with others. The gift of music is just one of the many ways Target and our team members make an impact in the communities.
Is there a holiday showcase in the works? The choir is wrapping up the holiday season with our set of 12 songs, including classics like “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas,” “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” and “Deck the Halls.”
Sounds like a very happy holiday!
Interested in a career at Target? Find out more at Target.com/Careers.
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