They are the first OSD choir to receive this honor and the only middle school choir from across the state selected to perform this year.
Oxford School District is delighted to announce that the Oxford Middle School Advanced Treble Choir has been selected to perform at the Mississippi American Choral Directors Association (MSACDA) and Mississippi Music Educators Association (MMEA) Conference this month. Their selection marks a historic milestone for the district, as they are the first OSD choir to receive this honor and the only middle school choir from across the state selected to perform this year.
The choir will perform before hundreds of music educators and some of the state’s top musicians, as the conference also hosts the Mississippi All-State Honor Choir. In preparation for this prestigious event, the 28 students in the OMS Advanced Treble Choir have dedicated countless hours to rehearsals, practicing for 75 minutes each school day and once a week after school.
As part of their preparation, students also had the unique opportunity to meet virtually with the composers whose works they will perform. Their twenty-minute program features music composed exclusively by women, with pieces performed in multiple languages, including Latin and Korean.
“What makes this recognition most meaningful is celebrating these students—their courage, their growth, and the trust they have built in one another. They have become a choir that encourages one another, embraces challenges, and strives for something bigger than themselves,” said Dr. Hannah Ardrey, Oxford Middle School’s Choir Director.
The choir’s performance centers on the conference theme “Heritage: The Fabric of Who We Are.”
“Through our repertoire, we explore the patterns we inherit—the traditions and values worth preserving, the threads we must find the courage to break, and the relationships that need mending,” said Dr. Hannah Ardrey. “These ideas reflect the culture we strive to build at OMS, where students feel welcomed and valued. I believe our choir program has helped strengthen that culture by teaching students that their legacy is shaped not only by what they accomplish, but by how they treat others and what they choose to pass on.”
This historic recognition is particularly meaningful given the remarkable growth of the OMS choir program in recent years. Just four years ago, the program consisted of only 12 students. Today, more than 70 students participate across three choirs under the leadership of Dr. Hannah Ardrey.
Students in the OMS Advanced Treble Choir expressed their excitement and gratitude for this outstanding opportunity, reflecting on the dedication that has brought them to this moment.
Esther Bloomekatz, a member of the OMS Advanced Treble Choir, shared, “It is such an honor to have our choir selected for this opportunity! We have worked tirelessly since day one, and our director, Dr. Ardrey, is a phenomenal teacher. As she likes to say, pressure is a privilege. I can’t wait to show our audience what we are capable of.”
Join us in congratulating Dr. Ardrey and the OMS Advanced Treble Choir on this historic achievement and wishing them the best at the MSACDA/MMEA conference on November 17.
The community is invited to a free preview of their performance this Friday, November 13th, at 7pm at Christ Presbyterian Church, ahead of their state performance next week in Hattiesburg. For additional information, please contact Dr. Hannah Ardrey at hgardrey@oxfordsd.org.
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