Music & Choir

Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College has many outstanding opportunities for students interested in pursuing music as a career or for a hobby. Participating in music, whether by playing an instrument or singing, offers the individual a creative outlet, relieves stress, improves cognitive abilities and coordination, and builds self-confidence. Academically, the music pathway of the Associate of Arts degree is transferable to any four-year institution offering a music degree in a student’s chosen instrument.

Music Groups

Harrison County Campus

Harrison County Choir

There is no audition, and the choir is open to all students. The choir, which meets four times a week, performs mostly accompanied traditional choir repertoire.

Coastal Vibrations

Coastal Vibrations performs acapella vocal jazz. The group performs on campus, for Bulldog Day and Veterans Day, and at a variety of places in the community, including veterans homes and parades.

The Immersive Performing Arts Center (iMPAC) is the venue for Harrison County Campus music groups.  This state-of-the-art, 54,000-square-foot facility includes a 1,200-seat theatre complete with the newest performance technology.  The center’s flexible design makes it the perfect venue for major theatre productions, concerts and conferences. Other features include box seating, a lobby and concessions, areas for dressing rooms, a green room, stage area, storage, and prop design.

Auditions

Auditions are held in the spring.  Students must be prepared for a 10-minute, one-on-one audition. Contact zane.lynn@mgccc.edu for more information.

Scholarships

Students in Coastal Vibrations will receive approximately a 75 percent tuition scholarship. To qualify for the scholarship, they must also participate in the Harrison County Choir.

Jackson County Campus

The music program is open to all enrolled students, majors and non-majors.  Lessons in voice, piano, and guitar are available. For intended music majors, please make an appointment for a consultation with department instructors.  kate.sawyer@mgccc.edu  jonathan.mitchell@mgccc.edu

The JC Concert Choir, open to all students, operates both as an academic course (1.0 credit hour) and a student organization.

What To Expect

All Jackson County Campus music courses require preparation and study outside of class. Applied lessons for an instrument are one hour each week. Daily practice is expected.

Being a part of the music program, specifically the Concert Choir and vocal ensemble, gives students a sense of community. Students enjoy performing together, travel and a high level of accomplishment through challenging repertoire.

As a student organization, the Concert Choir participates in fundraisers, on-campus activities and community outreach.  The group also studies and performs a variety of repertoire, from classical to contemporary. Large works are sometimes performed with an orchestra.

Concerts

Choir concerts are held during the fall and spring semesters and at Christmas. Dates for fall and Christmas concerts are announced in August.

Along with the three annual formal concerts, the Concert Choir also holds vocal and instrumental recitals on a regular basis and participates in collaborative concerts with area high schools and community groups. Most performances are at no cost and open to the public. Ticketed events are advertised as such, with tickets available at the door or from a choir member on campus.

Upcoming Performances

Jackson County Ensemble (JC Voices)

The JC Voices (select ensemble) is an acapella group that travels for a variety of performances and competitions. Each member must audition to be selected.  Auditions are held the previous semester.

Contact

maria.sawyer@mgccc.edu

Scholarships

Choral scholarships (audition required) in various amounts are available and stackable with one other MGCCC scholarship. The typical scholarship for ensemble participation is 75 percent of tuition cost. Auditions are held the last Thursday of April every spring semester.

Auditioning

Students sing a one-minute solo and sight-read in small groups. Auditions are held the last Thursday of April every spring semester in the Fine Arts Building.

Perkinston Campus

Perkinston Campus features a campus choir, Mississippi Sound, a Jazz band, and  many ensembles. Ensembles include: Percussion, Woodwind, and Brass

Perk Campus Choir

The Perk Concert Choir is open to all students

Perkinston Percussion Ensemble

Any percussion student is welcome to participate in Percussion Ensemble, which meets Mondays and Wednesdays at noon. Students learn a variety of material utilizing modern percussion techniques.

The Percussion Ensemble is an outstanding outlet for percussionists wishing to expand their vocabulary of percussion pedagogy, as well as a chance to experience the wide array of instruments and techniques that a small percussion ensemble can afford.

The Percussion Ensemble performs at the annual Prism Concert held at the Perkinston Campus, as well as various civic and college events.

The Percussion Ensemble meets in Sam P. Jones Band Hall.