JSU Hosts 2014 Children’s Honor Choir Festival

01/10/2014

On Saturday, February 1 the Choral Activities area of the JSU David L. Walters Department of Music will host a Children’s Honor Choir Festival for students in grades 1 through 6. This event is entitled “A Super Celebration of Music Education” and will feature three choirs who will work with expert clinicians throughout the day and then present a concert at 6 p.m. for friends and family in the Leone Cole Auditorium.

Dr. Becky Halliday from the University of Montevallo will direct the “Blue” Choir, grades 1-2. Jeff Caulk, K - 5 music teacher at Bagley and Corner Schools will direct the “Green” Choir, grades 3-4. And Vincent Oakes, artistic director of the Chattanooga Boys Choir, will direct the “Red” Choir, grades 5-6.

Although the primary emphasis of the festival will be the performance of vocal music, the student singers will also demonstrate skills in music reading, the playing of instruments and movement, which are part of the school music education curriculum.

This Honor Choir Festival was the brain child of Dr. Patricia Corbin, JSU Director of Choral Activities. “There are so many opportunities for high school and middle school singers to participate in choral festivals throughout the state. However, there are not as many opportunities for elementary age children to have the same experience,” says Dr. Corbin. “Every time we have a choral festival that includes younger children, we have a great turnout.”

This is the first year that Dr. Corbin has expanded the annual Honor Choir to include grades 1 – 6. “It may be a little small this first year, but it is a start and we can’t wait to have these young singers on our campus,” says Dr. Corbin.  “I also want to especially support our hard working elementary music teachers in the area, many of whom are JSU alums. Our college music education students will be working with the children throughout the day. This is a great opportunity for them to get hands on experience.”

Although registration is still open, the following schools have pre-registered: C. E. Hanna Elementary School, Guntersville Elementary School, Bagley School (Birmingham), White Plains Elementary School, Kittystone Elementary School, Weaver Elementary School, Huntsville Community Chorus Children’s Chorale and Corner School (Birmingham). The cost for the festival is $35 per student, which includes registration, lunch and a souvenir tee shirt. The deadline for registration for the festival is January 20 and forms may be found on the JSU Music Department website at www.jsu.edu/music. For more information, please contact Dr. Corbin (256) 782-5544 at pcorbin@jsu.edu.