MECCA Choirs to Hold Auditions!

Auditions for the 2012-2013 season are coming soon!

East Tennessee Children's Choir

The East Tennessee Children's Choir will hold auditions for rising 4th - 8th graders May 21, 4:00-6:00 at Central Baptist Church, 300 North Roan Street, Johnson City, TN.  No preparation is necessary.  Auditions take about 30 minutes and are conducted on a first come, first served basis.

Highlands Youth Ensemble

Highlands Youth Ensemble (grades 9-12, and changed male voices in grade 8) will hold auditions for the 2012-2013 concert season May 14-31.  To schedule an audition please contact Jane Morison:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 276-645-5785.  Auditions take about 45 minutes and consist of singing a solo, sight-reading, and harmonizing.

Choristers

Singers in grades 1-3 may register for MECCA Choristers.  Contact Valerie Pickard (Bristol Chorister Director) at 423-968-4039, or Jane Morison:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 276-645-5785.

Da Capo

Rising 7th-8th graders in ETCC who are interested in joining Da Capo should contact Jane Morison:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 276-645-5785 to arrange an audition for this select treble choir.

MECCA choirs are scheduled to perform this coming year with the Symphony of the Mountains, and at performance venues such as Biltmore Estate, Freedom Hall, and Toy F. Reid Auditorium.  There will also be special concerts and events to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Founding of the East Tennessee Children's Choir! Please check back for more concert and event info as it becomes available.

This was the 10th annual Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion.  What a wonderful way to get Saturday morning started, hearing those great voices from Choristers, ETCC, and Da Capo.  The Choristers did a great job singing their songs.  ETCC sounded amazing.  And Da Capo Girls and Boys rocked the show with their songs.  They all did a wonderful job!!

Highlands Youth Ensemble Performs at Carnegie Hall

The Highlands Youth Ensemble (HYE), MECCA's high-school mixed choral group with members from Green County, TN to Washington County, VA, performed at Carnegie Hall in New York City on Sunday, June 27 - a special mass chorale performance of John Rutter's Requiem, under the direction of the renowned English composer himself.  More than 20 of the HYE members made this trip, joining other choirs from around the U.S. on stage.

"It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for our singers," said Jane DeLoach Morison, HYE director.  "Carnegie Hall represents a pinnacle of achievement for musicians, and performing under the baton of John Rutter is an extraordinary honor.  The music was beautiful, and our students dedicated themselves to the effort of learning it.  In fact we performed Requiem locally three times in its entirety before going to New York.  I am so proud of Highlands Youth Ensemble!"

The ETCC and Da Capo children were asked to perform at the first birthday celebration for the Niswonger Children's Hospital in Johnson City, TN on March 2nd.  This was a great honor for the children to be asked to perform at this event, and a great opportunity to give back to the community by sharing their musical talents.  The children san several songs, plus "Happy Birthday" to the hospital.  We had the opportunity to sing on live television.