OXFORD, Miss. – Three choral groups at the University of
Mississippi present a concert Tuesday (Oct. 23) at North
Oxford Baptist Church.
The 7:30 p.m. program by the choral music division in the
Department of Music is the first of two annual fall
concerts, with the second scheduled Tuesday, Nov. 6, at the
same time and place. Both are free and open to the public.
The upcoming hourlong concert features the Women’s Glee and
Men’s Glee choirs and the Women’s Ensemble, which are
composed of students from all disciplines. The evening
repertoire includes selections by several composers,
including Randall Thompson, Felix Mendelssohn and Ludwig
van Beethoven.
The second fall concert features the Chamber Singers and
Concert Singers, as well as the Northeast Mississippi
Community College Choir.
Don Trott, director of choral activities, said the upcoming
performances should appeal to audiences of all ages.
“The variety of pieces and artists being performed in this
concert is what will be appealing for the audience,” said
Trott. “It’s an enjoyable evening of choral singing
performed by students at Ole Miss.”
Debra Spurgeon, associate professor of music, and three
Master’s of Music students are scheduled to conduct during
the concert. The students are Catherine Swan of Niceville,
Fla., and Brandon Heishman of Harrisonburg, Va., both
graduate students in choral conducting; and Christian
Feazell of Monticello, Ark., a graduate student in voice
performance. Swan will conduct the Women’s Ensemble, and
Heishman and Feazell will conduct the Men’s Glee.
“Allowing our master’s degree students to conduct in this
concert gives them a platform to practice their conducting
skills,” Trott said. “It’s also enjoyable for me to see my
students up there doing what they love.”
Trott said North Oxford Baptist Church “has great acoustics
and is quite conducive to choral music.”
The music department invites students of all disciplines
who are interested in singing to join one of the choral
groups, Trott said.
“If you have a passion for singing, choral music welcomes
students with open arms. Our philosophy is, if a student
wants to sing, then there’s a choir for them; we place our
students in a choir that best suits their abilities. We’ll
listen to anyone at any time, but now is a great time with
spring registration right around the corner.”
For more information or assistance related to a disability,
call 662-915-5115. To learn more about music education at
Ole Miss, visit