Southern Chorale readies to bring American music to Romania | Arts & Culture

The Southern Chorale at The University of Southern Mississippi School of Music will open their year-long concert series of works by American composers on Oct. 30 at 7:30 p.m. at Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg. The concert is part of preparations for a tour of Romania this summer.

Why Romania? Sophomore vocal performance major Karis Tucker wonders, “Why not?” Two years ago, Tucker, who grew up in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, was visiting her grandparents in McComb, Miss. and performed a recital with her father at First Presbyterian Church on Hardy Street. There she met voice faculty member Dr. Larry Smith and choral activities director Dr. Gregory Fuller, who immediately recruited her into the School of Music. 

“Romanians have not heard much American choral music,” said Tucker, “but do love the American popular culture music.”  She is very excited to return home to visit family and act as a tour guide and translator while the chorale tours Romania. “The Southern Chorale’s sound will be well-received and they will be particularly interested in how the ensemble rehearses using a tuning fork in lieu of a piano.”

For more on this article, click HERE to go to the USM website.