Fine Arts – Music

O say, can you see...

University School of Jackson students, faculty, and staff joined Americans across the country in singing the national anthem at 9 a.m. Friday, September 14. The entire USJ student body – from three-year-old Cubs to high school seniors – dressed in USJ uniform shirt colors of red, white, and navy blue, formed a flag on the football field, and sang “The Star Spangled Banner.”
The event was part of The National Anthem Project, which is gathering momentum across the country to restore interest in “The Star Spangled Banner” and help ensure that people know the words to the song. The effort grew out of concerns by the National Association of Music Education, which surveyed Americans and found that two-thirds didn’t know the anthem’s words.

All-State Honor Choir/Orchestra 2008

Congratulations to Camilla Bratton, Bradford Carrington, and Nathan Grimm for being selected to the All-State Honor Choir and to Ellen Appleton for being selected to the All-State Orchestra. This is Bradford’s second year to be chosen, and Nathan is one of few sophomores to be chosen for this honor. Pictured, left to right, are Ellen, Camilla, Nathan, and Bradford. 

Alternates chosen for the All-State Choir are Mary Haynes, Keely McMahon, Victoria Farnsworth, Brennan Torstrick, Lauren McGee, Justin Harrison, Jordan Perchik, Alex Camp, William Teer, and Colton Norton.

Southern Division Honor Choir

Fifth grader Benjamin Dale and junior Logan Jolley were accepted to perform in the American Choral Director’s Southern Division Honor Choirs in Louisville, Kentucky.
Directing the High School Honor choir was Kevin Fenton, associate professor of Choral Conducting and Ensembles at Florida State University. Joan Gregory, founding director of the Children’s Choir of Washington, directed the Children’s Honor Choir, which is for ages 10-15. Each choir consists of 200 singers, with 40 alternates.
Thousands of students from the 11-state Southern Division auditioned. Benjamin and Logan study voice with Karen Dale.

Students earn All-Northwest Choir honors

Forty-two USJ Upper School students were selected for the WTVMEA All-Northwest Honor Choir. Seniors Mary Haynes, Bradford Carrington, and Ben Wilson were selected for this honor for six consecutive years. The choir will performed November 10 at West Jackson Baptist Church. USJ students in the choir are:
1st Soprano: Keely McMahon, Mary Haynes, Natalie Wilson, Logan Jolley, Katie Beth Fesmire, Kirby Wells, and Lindsey Crosnoe.
2nd Soprano: Kathryn Roach, Emily Gilmour, Mallory Griggs, and Laura Micetich.
1st Alto: Mary Claire Melton and Victoria Farnsworth.
2nd Alto: Camilla Bratton, Sarah Grace Glover, Lauren McGee, Michelle Hollis, Carey Beth Kirkland, Amanda Beal, Brittany Spicer, and Katherine Anne Glover.
1st Tenor: Alex Camp, Eric Dietz, and Tyler Jones.
2nd Tenor: Bradford Carrington, Clayton Williams, Nathan Grimm, Marshall Seals, Chan Fordham, and Will Pearson.
1st Bass: Ben Wilson, Justin Harrison, Jordan Perchik, Colton Norton, William Teer, Daniel Grimm, and Daron Brauss.
2nd Bass: Colton Parker, Benjie Fesmire, Brennan Torstrick, Eric Villarreal, and Stephen Lee Gilley.

Students earn All-Northwest Junior High Choir honors

Sixty-five University School of Jackson students were selected for the 204-voice Junior High All-Northwest Choir. Four students received first chair. The choir performed November 10 at West Jackson Baptist Church. USJ students in the choir are:
• 1st Soprano: Kyndal Gray (1st Chair), Mackenzie Paris (2nd Chair), Carol Ann Head, Caroline Purcell, Georgia Poole, Catherine Christie, Angelica Marks, Ellen Hooper, Jordan Ragon, and Jessica Crosnoe.
• 2nd Soprano: Grace Howard, Taylor Gaston, Kirstie Finch, Avery Cunningham, Haley Russell, and Hannah Harris.
• 1st Alto: Clare Williams, Kelsey Darnall, Mary Elizabeth Salazar, Sally Sikes, Brigham Short, Meg Lawrence, Callie Jaggers, and Olivia Harrison.
• 2nd Alto: Caleb Self (1st Chair), Abbey Orr (2nd Chair), Caroline Haynes (3rd Chair), Lindsay Smith, Halle Priester, Rebecca Rogers, Bess McWherter, and Kasey Fleming.
• 1st Tenor: Christopher Elizer (1st Chair), William Wheeler, Connor Simmons, Hamilton Moore, Sy Anthony, Michael Grant, and Todd Moon.
• 2nd Tenor: Derick Stonecipher, Jacob Ragon, Peyton Vaughan, Jackson Teer, Lance McGee, John Pierce, and Evan Miller.
• Bass: Ryan Sanderson (1st Chair), Matthew Giampapa, John Villarreal, Thomas Butler, Will Pierce, Shane Vargason, Minoru Kagimoto, Grant Mansfield, Miller Martindale, Jonathan Cain, Reed Matheny, Will Buckley, Sarathi Sarkar, James-Roland Markos, Luke David, Priyesh Patel, Kenneth Oshiro, Heath Taylor, and Grady Hall.

All-State 2007 Honor Choir

After auditioning against students throughout West Tennessee and then going through octet testing, three USJ students were chosen for All-State Choir, and two were chosen as alternates. They are, left to right, Natalie Wilson, All-State alternate; Kathryn Roach, Ashley Freeland, and Ben Gaines, All-State Choir members; and Joey Easterling, All-State alternate. All-State Choirs practice and perform in Nashville April 18-21.

USJ Singers

Congratulations to the USJ Chamber Choir for receiving a Superior Rating and to the USJ Singers for receiving an Excellent Rating at the WTVMEA Choral Festival on March 28, 2007. Both groups received a Superior Rating in Sight Reading. The USJ Singers, under the direction of Esther Gray, represented USJ at the State Choral Festival in April. 

 

2006 All-State Choirs

Ten USJ students were chosen to participate in last year’s All-State Choirs in Nashville. They were Bradford Carrington, Grant Wallace, Laura Salazar, Joey Easterling, Laurel Meriwether, Mary Haynes, Kathryn Roach, Ben Gaines, Mark Akin, and Brendan White. Chosen as alternates were Danny Grimm, Will Dement, and Greg Pearson.

All-State choirs consist of outstanding vocal students from throughout the state of Tennessee. Students must first compete for places in an honor choir within each of the three regions of the state. Last fall, 39 USJ students were selected for the All-Northwest Honor Choir. Following a November concert under the direction of a world-renowned director, another audition was held for those who wanted to compete for a place in one of the three All-State Choirs. After being selected for All-State, singers went through a final competition to demonstrate their preparation by singing their part alone within an octet.