Birmingham, Ala. — Philip Copeland, formerly of Natchez, is the new music directo of the Birmingham Concert Choral for 2008-2009. As the official chorus of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, the choir will participate in performances of “Messiah,” “Carmina Burana” and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9. Copeland was chosen unanimously for the job over 18 other candidates.

He has directed choirs at the University of Alabama in Birmingham for several years where he also teaches classes in music education. He recently led singers from Birmingham Concert Choral and UAB in Mozart’s “Solemn Vespers” at Carnegie Hall in New York. Under his direction, the UAB Concert Choral won the Heinrich Schutz perpetual trophy for a performance at the Fleischman International Choral competition in Cork, Ireland. Previously, his choir at the University of Mississippi won the gold medal at the Choral Olympics in Linz, Austria.

Copeland has a doctorate from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary as well as degrees from Mississippi College and the University of Mississippi. His parents are Marlon and Charlotte Copeland of Natchez and he is a graduate of Adams County Christian School.

He and his wife, Leigh, are the parents of triplet daughters, Catherine, Caroline and Claire, and live in Birmingham.