Spirit of Southern, The University of Southern Mississippi’s (USM) premier pop a cappella ensemble will be a featured performing group on the opening concert session of the American Choral Directors Association Southern Region Bi-Annual Conference in Louisville, KY on Feb. 21.
Under the direction of Dr. Jonathan Kilgore, the group was invited to perform at this conference, the primary professional organization for choral conductors and the largest of the six regions, comprised of eleven states.
“These students embody the School of Music’s commitment to excellence in the training of musicians while providing transformative experiences,” said Dr. Colin McKenzie, director of the school. “I am appreciative to each of the members and leadership of this fine group for their work, and to the Southern Region ACDA for inviting them to perform.”
Spirit of Southern performs at a variety of University and community events in and around the Hattiesburg area and serves as one of the primary recruitment arms of the Choral Activities program. The students in this group range from all undergraduate levels of study and from various academic fields. They have been honored with invitations to perform around the South, including the Mississippi ACDA/Mississippi Music Educators Association state conferences.
“Performing at the Southern Region ACDA Conference is an honor and shows the immense dedication of our student musicians to their field,” said Kilgore. “At Southern Miss, we are lucky to have fantastic, hardworking students who not only aim to excel as musicians, but as individuals. It is a distinct privilege to work with them and see them thrive on and off stage!”
The entire musical program was a custom arranged for them by Rob Dietz and Wilson Smith. Of particular interest is a stunning vocal jazz setting of Nat King Cole’s “When Sunny Gets Blue.”
