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This also means focusing on the individual as much as the group, a balancing act that Dunn has mastered over the years. “Our main goal is to have a quality community choir for girls,” Dunn said. Now about to enter its 19th year, the Columbus Girlchoir still only has one goal in mind. He approached me about starting a girlchoir here and that’s how it came about.” But I didn’t think about it again until, at First Methodist Church, Sam Morris was there … and he was instrumental in helping start the Mississippi Girlchoir. “That was probably 1998 or so, and they had such a beautiful sound and I was just entranced with it.

“When I was at The W, a colleague brought the Mississippi Girlchoir for a concert,” Dunn said. It also leans on a “commitment to performing traditional music with understanding and excellence,” according to the group’s website. It trains girls in vocal technique, choral style, vocal health and music fundamentals. The choir also performs a Christmas and spring concert locally each year.ĭunn, a retired voice professor from Mississippi University for Women, founded the nonprofit in 2004. Historically, the choir has performed at many prestigious venues including twice at Carnegie Hall and was the featured choir at the Crescent City Choral Festival in New Orleans three times. “I know I have one wonderful singer who won’t sing without a mask on, but that’s OK,” she said. She is also willing to work with the girls regarding safety protocols. “We would really take girls through August.” “Not much (response), it’s kind of scary,” Dunn said. The auditions are currently underway but there has once again been a lackluster response from the community. There is a junior choir for younger ages and a senior choir for older girls. The choir is open for all girls ages 9-18. “As a board member for several years, it is so rewarding to see the self-confidence, positive attitude and passion for music our girls display,” said Emily Moody, vice-president for the board of directors. The choir also helps the girls build confidence in themselves and their abilities. Some of them were homeschooled and stuff like that, so I wouldn’t have even known them if it wasn’t for girlchoir.” “It developed me musically, but I just loved getting to know different girls. I love my girlchoir girls,” said Christina Clark, who was a member of the choir for 10 years. “I still have friends that I was in girlchoir with. Social interactions and friendships built in the girlchoir also add value to the experience. So, it means that girls don’t have time for music in their lives.” They are doing more soccer, volleyball, softball than they did 10 years ago, and they are also in competition with things like dance and competition cheer, which meets every single day. It’s been harder because girls are doing more sports than ever before. “People don’t understand the value of music and the arts, but to be a well-rounded individual, you need that, and music, of course, is a universal language,” she said. The other factors are not any easier to overcome. “I’d love to get it back up to 30 if possible.”īouncing back from the pandemic isn’t the choir’s only challenge, Dunn said. “We had a few girls last fall and then we had a little bit bigger group this spring – we had 19,” Dunn said. The choir resumed activities for the 2021-22 season, but the response was slim compared to previous years. “We had a great spring planned for 2020, and everything stopped in March.” … It just completely shut us down,” Dunn said. “Who would have thought that singing would have been a dangerous activity? That’s what happened. At its peak, the Girlchoir boasted 70 singers, but interest had already started waning before COVID-19 totally shut the group down in 2020.