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!"

Twenty-four singers from the Mountain Empire Children’s Choral Academy who are members of the East Tennessee Children’s Choir and Highlands Youth Ensemble recently traveled to Dallas, TX to participate in the Organization of American Kodály Educators National Honor Choirs.  These singers competed with other young musicians from every state to win the honor to sing in the National Children’s Choir, National Youth Choir and National Concert Choir.

Peter Morison was selected as a national soloist, and Isaac Grunstra, Anna Kimerer, and Jonna Pickard were selected to sing in a small ensemble in the closing honor choir concert.

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.

THE E.T.S.U. DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THE FIRST WINNER OF THE KENTON COE COMPOSITION ENDOWMENT AWARD to Bradley A. Fore.

Bradley Fore is an E.T.S.U. Senior studying Music Education.  He is from Glade Spring, Virginia.  Fore is taking composition lessons from Dr. Maria A. Niederberger at E.T.S.U.  One of Fore's formative musical experiences during high school was that he was singing in the Highland Youth Ensemble (HYE).  In spring of 2009, Fore conducted the E.T.S.U. Chorale as they debuted his first major compositional work, Liberty, on their annual semester concert.  The HYE is planning to sing Fore's second movement of Liberty during their Spring 2010 season.