UMO Hosts Third Annual All-Star Choir Festival
MOUNT OLIVE- The University of Mount Olive (UMO) recently held its third annual All-Star Choir Festival for surrounding high school and home school students. Over 180 individuals participated in the day-long event aimed at showcasing the collegiate choir experience.
Nominated by high school choir directors, participants were selected for their vocal ability and endurance levels. The singers underwent an intensive six-hour rehearsal, many of whom also took advantage of one-on-one instruction from UMO’s voice professors.
“The All-Star Choir Festival is a service to area music educators and their choir students by offering a more advanced performance opportunity,” explained Jonathan Saeger Director of the UMO Concert Choir.
Students interacted with UMO’s experienced choir members and music faculty as they learned and rehearsed five advanced songs. To finish the festival, the All-Star Choir performed in a joint concert, which was open to the public.
“I go to a small school, so I don’t have the opportunity to sing in a very large choir,” said Elizabeth Norris from Arendell Parrott Academy. “It has been special for me to hear how all the voices interact and meld with each other.”
“Working on music with a select group of singers has been an eye-opening learning experience,” shared Camden Mooring from North Johnston High School. “It has also been very interesting to see how UMO’s students are growing in their musical talents and continuing to use their voices.”
Saeger hopes the event will spark students’ interest in pursuing music as a career.
“I want the high school students to be inspired by what we created together in a short amount of time,” Saeger expressed. “We produced a concert full of special musical moments. Hopefully, our UMO students have inspired the high school participants to continue pursuing their love of choral singing.”
The University of Mount Olive is a private institution rooted in the liberal arts tradition with defining Christian values. The University, sponsored by the Convention of Original Free Will Baptists, has education service centers in Mount Olive, New Bern, Wilmington, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, Research Triangle Park, Washington, Jacksonville, and online. For more information, visit www.umo.edu.
