Missouri Southern choir receives high honors
Virginia Fairchild

City Editor

Three choirs from institutions of higher education are selected each year to perform for the music instructors of Missouri.

Missouri Southern s Chamber Choir is one of them.

 It s great for the kids to have an opportunity to sing for music educators,  said Bud Clark, director of choral studies.  It s probably one of the most difficult audiences to sing for. To get a good response from them would be wonderful.

Choirs from across the state may submit an audition tape to the Missouri Music Educators Association to sing at its annual convention. Choirs may only turn in a tape every four years. This enables several different schools to participate in the convention.

The tapes, which remain anonymous, are judged by music experts from out-of-state. This decreases any biases a judge might have toward a particular institution.

Choirs are judged on the overall performance and quality of the group. Clark said the judges listen for the blend, balance and maturity of the choir.

 They judge just on what they hear on that tape,  he said.  So, the quality of the group has to show through. 

Southern hasn t been eligible to submit an entry for a decade due to the fact Clark was president. Southern last submitted a tape in 1991, in which the choir was accepted to sing at the 1992 convention.

The 2002 convention in Tan-Tar-A will be held Jan. 23-25. Southern s Chamber Choir will perform at 3 p.m. Friday, Jan. 24. Clark said the group is planning a program of seven songs.

Chamber Choir normally practices twice a week, but to prepare for the convention, it added another weekly rehearsal.

Clark said when the entire program is completed, the choir will perform in the area to work out kinks and exterminate any butterflies members might experience.

 It s quite an honor to be accepted and a thrill for the kids, a thrill for me and it s wonderful for Missouri Southern,  Clark said.  It s good recruiting school. A lot of high school teachers are there. They see what kind of product we produce, and they hopefully encourage their students to go to Missouri Southern. 

Daryl Foster, junior vocal music major, has been involved with the Southern music department for three years.

 I want to do my part to make the choir the best ensemble it can be,  he said.  We have a lot of vocal talent. I just want us to be the best we can be. 

Foster said he works five hours a week in the classroom for choir and two to three hours a week on his own rehearsing and perfecting the pieces.

 The students we have are some of the best kids I ve ever had, and so I am just proud to show them off,  Clark said.  I think it s going to be a wonderful performance.