The choirs of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Jackson County and Ocean Springs High School will present Mozart’s “Requiem” on March 12 at 7 p.m.  The performance will be accompanied by orchestra and take place in the sanctuary of St. Paul United Methodist Church, downtown Ocean Springs.

The “Requiem” is sung in Latin, yet the music conveys universal themes.  Sacred in nature, the reverent melodic lines of the work turn in an instant to intense, heart-pounding dynamics depicting the “day of wrath” and “day of weeping.”  Mozart died in 1791 before completing the “Requiem”, leaving his indelible work to be completed by his students.

This collaboration marks the third major concert produced by MGCCC’s Jackson County Choir in partnership with the Ocean Springs High School choir.  Choral directors Kate and Ric Sawyer collaborated on past performances that include Antonio Vivaldi’s “Gloria” in Spring 2017 and Gilbert & Sullivan’s operetta “Pirates of Penzance” in 2018.  Bringing students together in the Jackson County community is a main focus of this musical couple.  Rehearsal accompanists include Dr. Jonathan Mitchell, piano faculty at MGCCC Jackson County campus and Cherie Ruff, staff accompanist at Ocean Springs High School.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for our students,” said Kate Sawyer, choir director at MGCCC’s Jackson County Campus. “They have worked so hard to master this difficult music, and they will take that with them wherever they go, whatever they do.”

“It has been an incredible experience to work with the “Requiem,” said Hunter Hammond, a freshman choir member. “It’s been very challenging for us, but I can’t wait for the final product so that we may show it off to everyone.”

“It’s good that we keep composers like Mozart alive so that others can listen and appreciate the genius behind the work of the Requiem,” Hayley Schwartz, a sophomore choir member. “We have all worked very hard towards this concert, and I’m hoping that people will enjoy listening as much as we will enjoy performing it.”

Tickets are $10 for general admission and $5 for students, available pre-sale until March 10 from choir students and 6:00 pm at the door.