С��’s Schola Cantorum to perform at state music conference Thursday [Nov. 20]

STARKVILLE, Miss.—Schola Cantorum, Mississippi State’s largest choral ensemble, has been selected to perform at the upcoming conference of the Mississippi Music Educators Association and Mississippi American Choral Directors Association.

Bringing together K-12 music educators and choral directors from across the state, the conference takes place Thursday through Saturday [Nov. 20-22] at the University of Southern Mississippi. With more than 80 treble singers, С��’s Schola Cantorum is one of only two university choirs chosen through a competitive peer-review process to give a performance, which is set for Thursday at 7 p.m. at Hattiesburg’s Main Street Baptist Church.

“I am so proud of the hard work these and prior students have done to get accepted in an extremely competitive process. We had to submit three sample performances from the past three years for our application,” said Phillip Stockton, associate director of choral activities. “These women are singing beautifully, and the program is certain to inspire those who are in attendance. I am so fortunate to get to share the stage with these incredible students. They make me smile every day with their talent, hard work and commitment to excellence.”

The Schola Cantorum will perform “Strength in What Remains…,” which includes music by Stephen Paulus, Elaine Hagenberg, Norman Luboff and Jonathan Rodgers. The program reflects life’s journey through heartache, loss and death.

“It’s such an incredible honor to have been invited to perform at the conference this fall,” said Andrea Bailey, a junior mechanical engineering major from Madison, Georgia. “My peers and I, along with Dr. Stockton and Ms. Wood, have worked diligently since August to refine our technique and bring these pieces to life. We’re so excited to share our growth and passion with the music community across Mississippi.”

Amelia Summy, a sophomore vocal music education major from Memphis, Tennessee, added, “I feel so honored to be able to sing at such an important event for Mississippi musicians and have a chance to showcase our amazing choir program. Being the first time that Schola Cantorum has attended a conference like this, we have been working hard to prepare and polish our repertoire to show MSMEA what Mississippi State Choirs has to offer. This group’s passion and dedication are evident through their preparation and expression, and I can't wait to perform with them.”

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