The cold wind alone might have taken their breath away, Elliot Johnson said, recalling the performance of the Alcorn State University Concert Choir on Jan. 20 at the presidential inauguration ceremonies in Washington, D.C.

But the experience alone was breathtaking, said Johnson, a sophomore choir member who grew up in Detroit, Mich., and had never been to the nation’s capital city before the choir’s appearance there.

&uot;I felt cold. The wind was blowing. But it was breathtaking to imagine that out of all the choirs that could have been chosen, we were the ones,&uot; Johnson said.

The Lorman-based university choir, directed by Dr. David Blackburn, received the invitation to perform at the inauguration from Mississippi Sen. Trent Lott, chairman of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies.

Lott had heard the choir perform in 2004. &uot;When I heard the Alcorn State Choir perform in the historic chapel at Alcorn State last year, I heard a marvelous audible treat,&uot; Lott said in a recent statement. &uot;I saw and heard a choir that is worthy not only of our national stage, but the world stage, too. They are great ambassadors for Alcorn and for Mississippi, and they made a great addition to this inaugural.&uot;

The choir tour included stops along the way to Washington and on the way back to Mississippi. &uot;Every day it kept getting better,&uot; said Kimberly Morgan, a senior choir member. &uot;The tour was life changing, invaluable experiences that have affected my life.&uot;

Leaving Alcorn State on Jan. 15, the choir traveled to Birmingham, Ala., where on Jan. 16 they performed at First Baptist Church Kingston.

On Jan. 17, the choir performed at Spring Creek Baptist Church in Midlothian, Va., and on Jan. 18, at Armstrong High School in Richmond, Va.

On Jan. 22, on the return trip, the choir sang at Biltmore Estate in Asheville, N.C., in the morning and at Bellevue United Methodist Church in Nashville, Tenn., in the evening; the final concert was Jan. 23 at Bologna Performing Arts Center at Delta State University in Cleveland.

The appearance of the concert choir at the inauguration of President George Bush has directed the national and international spotlight on Alcorn, said Dr. Clinton Bristow, ASU president.

&uot;We did a media check and found that the choir appeared on all the major networks and not just in our market but in all the markets across the U.S.,&uot;

Bristow said. &uot;And with the CNN coverage, the choir received international coverage. The choir and university now have a national and international recognition of excellence.&uot;

The appearance has solidified the choir’s credentials, Bristow said. &uot;That opportunity, thanks to Senator Lott and President Bush, has really validated them as a department of music with national and international recognition,&uot; he said. &uot;So it means students should be knocking down the doors, students from all over, from different countries and ethnic groups, looking for a unique and enriching experience.&uot;

Bristow said many new opportunities to perform should result from the appearance at the inauguration. &uot;And to keep that kind of activity going, we hope donors out there will respond so when we get the calls to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City or the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., or at the Academy Awards in Los Angeles or internationally such as at the Louvre in Paris, the money is there to send them.&uot;

Blackburn, his wife, Sara Blackburn, accompanist Tony Gordon and chaperones Capt. Elzie and Valerie Morgan along with LaNell Blailock accompanied the choir on the tour. &uot;I don’t know whether their feet have touched the ground since we returned,&uot; David Blackburn said, &uot;It was a wonderful experience for them, but, even more, they touched people’s lives wherever they performed.&uot;

Kimberly Morgan said she was honored to stand above the president and see the inauguration taking place. Singing at the event was a thrill. &uot;It was like we were singing to the world. I felt like a celebrity. It was just indescribable.&uot;

The choir was filled with spirit, she said, and the unity was powerful. &uot;It’s like everyone is one person. We have one mind and one purpose and want to make music.&uot;

Elliot Johnson said he was filled with pride as the choir sang out in their best voices ever. &uot;With all that practice, for us to sound so good. Now we want to be even better,&uot; he said. &uot;We look for bigger and better things. But I don’t know if you can top the inauguration.&uot;