Event is Scheduled for April 19 at Columbia Central High School
(Columbia, Tenn. – April 7, 2011) - - - Columbia State Community College’s Lyceum Committee in conjunction with Columbia Central High School will sponsor the third annual Maury County Choral Festival on Tuesday, April 19 at 6 p.m. at Columbia Central High School. The festival will feature choirs from elementary, middle and high schools from Maury County, in addition to a combined high school choir from Columbia Central and college choir from Columbia State. This event is complimentary and open to the public.
“A few years ago, several of the area music teachers and I met to discuss ways to collaborate and create a meaningful musical experience in the region,” said Emily Gaskill, Assistant Professor of Music at Columbia State. “The result was a county-wide choral festival showcasing the talent of Maury County’s choirs, from elementary school through high school. I also wanted the Columbia State Community College Choir to participate as a community service project and to experience the mass choir concept.”
According to Gaskill, although the festival is not a competition, the college choir members act as adjudicators and provide valuable feedback to choral directors and their choir members. In addition, the college choir has the opportunity to be directed by another choral director.
“Susan Manning of Central High School and I share directing a few of the combined high school and college choir choral pieces,” explained Gaskill. “The ultimate reason to include the Columbia State choir is to challenge the students and give them both a fun and educational experience.”
Susan Manning from Columbia Central High School, Sandi Sanders Wilson from Howell Elementary and Emily Gaskill from Columbia State are the coordinators of the Maury County Choral Festival.
Columbia Central High School is located at 921 Lion Parkway in Columbia.
For more information contact Emily Gaskill, Assistant Professor of Music at Columbia State, at (615) 790-5980 or by emailing egaskill@columbiastate.edu or Susan Manning, Choral Director at Columbia Central High School, at (931) 381-2222 or by emailing mannings@k12tn.net.
Columbia State is a two-year college, serving a nine-county area in southern Middle Tennessee with locations in Columbia, Franklin, Lawrenceburg, Lewisburg and Clifton. As Tennessee’s first community college, Columbia State is committed to increasing access and enhancing diversity at all five campuses. Columbia State is a member of the Tennessee Board of Regents, the sixth largest higher education system in the nation. For more information, please visit www.columbiastate.edu.
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