ABOUT

The mission of The Mississippi Chorus organization is to impact the lives of Mississippians with the transformative power of great choral music through performances, workshops, community outreach, and education.

  • The Mississippi Chorus family extends an open invitation to singers throughout central Mississippi—share your love of music and your song, with us!

    Based in the Jackson metro area, The Mississippi Chorus has delivered outstanding choral performances in central Mississippi and beyond since 1989. The Chorus has collaborated with other fine musical organizations in our region, including the Mississippi Opera, Mississippi Symphony, Mississippi Boy Choir, and Mississippi Girl Choir. Our concerts have been enhanced with the visual arts and dance troupes as well.

    We are an equal singer opportunity organization and welcome dedicated vocalists from Jackson and surrounding communities who love to sing and enjoy the many benefits choral singing offers.

  • The Grande Chorus is organized under the auspices of The Mississippi Chorus and conducted by Artistic Director, Nathan Hettinger. Focused on performances of classical masterworks accompanied by a full orchestra, The Grande Chorus welcomes new singers without audition at the beginning of the fall season and again in the spring. Our season runs from late August through April.

  • The Master Chorale is an auditioned chamber ensemble from within the membership of the Grande Chorus that performs a wide variety of music suited to advanced readers. This group is organized under the auspices of The Mississippi Chorus and conducted by Artistic Director, Nathan Hettinger. Our season runs from late August through April.

ARTISTIC & EXECUTIVE STAFF

  • Artistic Director

    BETH EVERETT is Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities at Mississippi College where she conducts the Mississippi College Singers and Choctaw Chorus. Previous appointments include Southwestern University (Texas), LaGrange College (Georgia), Eastern Michigan University, and Bethel University (Tennessee). Dr. Everett holds a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Southern Mississippi, a Masters in Choral Conducting from Southern Methodist University, and a Bachelor of Music in Church Music from Palm Beach Atlantic University.

    Choirs under Dr. Everett's direction perform regularly across the United States and internationally. The Bethel University Singers participated in the American International Choral Festival in St. Louis and received a Gold Diploma in adjudication. Most recently, the Southwestern University Chorale presented the Texas premiere of Damien Geter’s Cantata for a More Hopeful Tomorrow.

    In addition to her love for choral music, Dr. Everett has an extensive list of opera and musical theater productions in her conducting repertoire ranging from La Traviata to A Chorus Line, from Godspell to Carousel and Into the Woods. She has prepared choruses for Opera Mississippi, Meadows Opera Theater, and Southern Opera and Musical Theater productions including Francis Poulenc's Dialogues of the Carmelites, Kurt Weill's Street Scene, and Maurice Ravel's L'Enfant et les Sortilèges.

    Dr. Everett spent several years as musical director and chorus master with the Natchez Festival of Music and conducted performances of Gilbert and Sullivan’s HMS Pinafore and The Pirates of Penzance and Sondheim’s A Little Night Music. She conducted Show Boat in 2016 in celebration of the tricentennial of the city of Natchez, Mississippi.

    Dr. Everett remains active as a singer and recently performed Elgar’s Sea Pictures with the LaGrange Symphony Orchestra. She also regularly performs the mezzo soprano solos for such major choral works as Handel's Messiah, Vivaldi's Gloria, Mozart's Requiem, and Mendelssohn's Elijah.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Executive Committee

RENÉE MURRAY | CHAIR

ALISON WAITE | SECRETARY

JOSH SMITH | IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR

AMANDA WILSON | TREASURER

BOARD MEMBERS

MARIAH TAYLOR | Alto Section Rep

CHARLOTTE STEELE | Alto Section Rep

JUDY GEARHART | Soprano Section Rep

KIM PIGOTT | Soprano Section Rep

MARVIN MILNER | Bass Section Rep

JOHN WAITE | Bass Section Rep

FRANK FILLINGHAM | Tenor Section Rep

PAUL BOWDEN | Tenor Section Rep

STAFF

DR. BETH EVERETT | Artistic Director

TOMMY CREEL | Collaborative Pianist