Brainstorm Premieres

The Mississippi joint ACDA/MMEA conference at Southern Mississippi University in Hattiesburg concluded Saturday with six honor choir performances, including a 90 member (what! ninety?) show choir.  No, I didn't conduct that one...  The High School Mixed Choir was a delight, from our first rehearsal Thursday night to the performance.  What a great group of people!  Bravo/a to all who planned this event and prepared students for auditions and rehearsals.  The highlight was the premiere performance of the first commissioned work for this choir.  BRAINSTORM -- on a terrific text by Scott Lounsbury (WELL SUNG SONG, VOICE OF OUR SONG, E PLURIBUS CANTUS) all about the wonders of creativity -- explodes rhythmically and doesn't stop until the last measure, catapulting through nearly every key area available.  The singers' energy, enthusiasm, hard work and good humor was evident throughout the weekend.  What fun!