SFA Music Preparatory Division sponsors middle school choir clinic

Nita Hudson, clinician for the Region 21 Middle School All-Region Choir Clinic held recently on the SFA campus, leads participating students in vocal exercises. A voice lecturer in the SFA School of Music, Hudson and other clinicians and accompanists donated their time to teach the students their UIL all-region competition music.

NACOGDOCHES, TEXAS - The Stephen F. Austin State University Music Preparatory Division recently sponsored the Region 21 Middle School All-Region Choir Clinic in the Tom and Peggy Wright Music Building on the SFA campus.

Approximately 90 middle school students participated, including students from Lufkin, Hudson, Palestine and Whitehouse ISDs, along with students from Tyler ISD's Hogg, Boulter, Hubbard and Stewart middle schools and Nacogdoches ISD's Mike Moses and McMichael middle schools.

Clinicians for the clinic, which was designed to help the students learn their UIL all-region competition music, were SFA School of Music faculty members Dr. Ron Anderson, conductor; Charlotte Davis, soprano I; Dr. Deborah Dalton, alto; Nita Hudson, tenor; and Dr. David Howard, bass. SFA graduate Brandon Nichols, soprano II, now teaching in Lufkin ISD, also participated.

Nicole Stewart, director of the Music Prep Piney Woods Chorale, served as director of the clinic. The Chorale will travel to Disney World in Orlando, Fla., in June to perform on a Disney stage. The middle school choir clinic was one of the fundraisers designed to assist the Chorale financially in making its journey. A "Dog Wash and Bake Sale" held earlier in the year kicked off the fundraising. A concert and spaghetti supper are being planned for December.

Students in sixth through 12th grades interested in being a part of the Piney Woods Chorale may contact the SFA Music Preparatory Division for more information at (936) 468-1291 or contact SFA Music Preparatory Division Director Pat Barnett at pbarnett@sfasu.edu.