Three NHS choir members chosen for honor choir

By Adam Koob (Contact) | The Natchez Democrat

Published Thursday, March 27, 2008

NATCHEZ — While the Natchez High School choir regularly receives high accolades and superior ratings, three members have been recently recognized for their talents.

Alethea Stewart, Edwin Smith and Tremaine Ford have been selected as the newest members of the Mississippi American Choral Directors Association All-State Honor Choir.

The three juniors were selected from hundreds of students across the state as the newest honor choir members.

Photo by Ben Hillyer

Natchez High School choir members Tremaine Ford and Edwin Smith practice for the Mississippi American Choral Director Association All-State Honor Choir with their teacher Joyce Arceneaux-Mathis.

All three students will be traveling to Jackson today to participate in the ACDA convention.

“It’s an honor to be selected,” Stewart said. “I feel blessed and overwhelmed.”

But the honor did not come without hard work.

All three students have been in choir since attending NHS.

That time prepared Stewart for her audition for her newest appointment.

Stewart said the audition was somewhat nerve-racking.

For their auditions, all three of the students had to learn six new pieces of music.

NHS choir director Joyce Arceneaux-Mathis said the students were largely responsible for learning the music on their own time.

“They did well and I’m proud of them,” she said. “They all did excellent work.”

Once at the convention, the students will have an opportunity to attend lectures and performances from other choirs and a chance to network with choir members from across the state.

“It’s going to be a good time,” Ford said.

However, aside from conference business, the students will have an opportunity to participate in one of their favorite activities — singing.

The choir to which they were all recently named is about 300 members strong.

And for the newest members, singing will be part of their lives long into the future.

Smith and Stewart said they both plan to study music in college.

While Ford said he plans to study pre-dentistry, he said he also plans to participate in choir in college.

“It’s a part of my life,” he said. “I love it.”