[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 89 (Monday, June 23, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1293]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI CONCERT SINGERS WIN GRAND PRIZE IN 
                       INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ROGER F. WICKER

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, June 23, 1997

  Mr. WICKER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the University of 
Mississippi Concert Singers who won their fourth international choral 
title in May in competition in Varna, Bulgaria. The Ole Miss Concert 
Singers were the only group representing the United States in the 
competition, which included 21 choirs from 11 countries.
  In addition to winning the grand prize, a panel of international 
judges also gave the group a first place prize in the chamber choir 
category, first place in the mixed choir category, and a special award 
for the most innovative music interpretations.
  Taking the top award in this event also qualified the group to 
participate in the European Grand Prize competition to be held in Italy 
in July 1998.
  Mr. Speaker, the young men and women in this extraordinary group an 
their director, Dr. Jerry Jordan, deserve high praise for their 
accomplishments. I am placing in the Record a press release from the 
University of Mississippi which details the recent success this group 
has had in international competition.

 Ole Miss Concert Singers Wow Judges, Capture International Competition

       University MS.--The University of Mississippi Concert 
     Singers have done it again.
       The choir won its fourth international choral title, this 
     time in Varna, Bulgaria, at the International May Choir 
     Competition.
       The Ole Miss choir, the only group representing the United 
     States, wowed judges as they sang music in seven languages 
     from a number of musical periods and competed against 21 
     choirs from 11 countries, including Italy, Portugal, Russia 
     and the Ukraine. The competition was the conclusion to the 
     48-member choir's two-week, five-country tour.
       A panel of international judges awarded the singers three 
     awards in addition to the Grand Prize. The choir placed first 
     in the chamber choir category, first in the mixed choir 
     category (men and women) and was awarded a special prize 
     given by the judges for the first time for the most 
     innovative musical interpretations.
       ``I am measurably proud of our students and for the 
     University that we won one of the top six choral competitions 
     in the world,'' said Dr. Jerry Jordan, director of the 
     Concert Singers and director of Choral Programs at Ole Miss. 
     ``We may come from the poorest state in the Union, but it is 
     tremendously gratifying to have the world's top authorities 
     in choral music judge our Southern guys and gals as the best 
     choral singers in world competition. We hope to continue to 
     keep the strong choral tradition going here at Ole Miss.''
       The Varna win qualifies Concert Singers to compete in the 
     European Grand Prize in Gorizia, Italy, in July 1998. The 
     Grand Prize, the world's most prestigious choral competition 
     for nonprofessionals, is widely recognized as the litmus test 
     for the best singers in the world.
       Concert Singers competed for the Grand Prize in 1995 as one 
     of the winners of the six top international competitions and 
     tied for top honors with the Japanese choir. The 
     competition was held in Arezzo, Italy.
       Concert Singer Delilah Martineau of Louisville said the 
     competition in Varna was a test of the group's talents, 
     skills and stamina.
       ``I came to win and no less,'' she said. ``However, to win 
     we had to reach down deeper inside than we ever had and 
     experience the music. ``We had to live through each note. It 
     was one of the most awesome musical experiences I have ever 
     had.''
       Martineau's feelings were shared by a number of the 
     singers. Chalis Pomeroy of Dickinson, ND, said singing on an 
     international level was a rewarding experience.
       ``Being able to perform music at a quality level fit for 
     the international stage is a fantastic feeling. Winning with 
     that music is even better,'' she said.
       But the trip was not just about winning, said singer 
     Shannon Quon of Moorhead.
       He said the best part about the competition and the trip in 
     general was ``seeing that no matter what nationality we are, 
     what language we speak or how wealthy or poor we are we can 
     all come together and enjoy good music. It is amazing to see 
     how we can touch so many people through our music.''
       The trip had a particular sentimental attachment for 
     Jordan, who met Istvan Parkai, a specialist in Hungarian 
     music whose choral direction Jordan has admired for 25 years.
       ``Twenty five years ago I bought some recordings of 
     Hungarian choirs and they have been my favorites,'' Jordan 
     said. ``He was the person I was most honored to meet on this 
     trip because I found that he was the director for some of 
     those recordings I had admired for so long.''
       Parkai was one of the judges at the competition and cried 
     during the Concert Singers' rendition of a Hungarian piece. 
     Following the performance Parkai said he was touched by the 
     choir's expression during the song.
       ``It was as if they were understanding not just each 
     phrase, but every word. I have rarely heard it sung with such 
     expression and detail from even a Hungarian choir,'' he said.
       The cultural experiences during the 14-day trip brought to 
     life many of the differences between European and North 
     American life. Brian Wells of Vicksburg said, ``The 
     Europeans' love for music is one of a kind.
       ``We did not have to wait for the competition to be around 
     people who appreciated music,'' he said. ``The Europeans 
     loved and respected us on the streets, in the airports, in 
     the hotels, churches and anywhere we sang.''
       The choir is no stranger to success. In 1994, the Ole Miss 
     Concert Singers captured the top five awards in Tours, 
     France, where they competed against 30 choirs from 17 
     countries to win the judge's choice for best overall choir 
     and the audience's top choice, among other awards.
       Choir members also garnered the audience's award at the 
     same competition in 1989, and they won the Chester Music 
     Festival in Chester, England, in 1984. Other performances 
     have included those at the Vatican, Lincoln Center and 
     Carnegie Hall.
       Jordan has played a significant role in the choir's success 
     and was named one of the 10 most highly recommended choral 
     clinicians in the United States in a national survey 
     conducted by the American Choral Directors Association. He 
     has directed the choir for the past 17 years and made his New 
     York City debut in Lincoln Center with the American Symphony 
     Orchestra in 1988. Jordan is regularly featured as a guest 
     conductor at Carnegie Hall.

     
                                  ____
                                  

                          ____________________