Messiah Chorus Posts

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Messiah Chorus: P. O. Box 3002, Gulfport, MS 39505
Music Director: Joy Mehrtens
Acting Board Chair: Kay Horne
Webmaster: John Voorhees

YAVC Winners

2023 Winners

Kyra De Oliveira - 24 Years Old
Katelyn Mobley - 21 Years Old

2022 Winners

Wish Kay - 21 Years Old
P.J. Voorhees - 15 Years Old
Tatiana Rivera Ratfucci - 22 Years Old
Sydney Mitchell - 20 Years Old

2021 Winners

Connor Galle - 17 Years Old
Rebekah Hopkins - 22 Years Old
Anna Hopkins - 19 Years Old

2020 Winners

Emily Jellum - 17 Years Old
Anna Hopkins - 18 Years Old
Hutson Rollins- 18 Years Old
Rebekah Hopkins - 20 Years Old
Connor Galle - 16 Years Old

2019 Winners

Anna Grace Young - 15 Years Old
Amanda Fulton
Olivia Reaves Alarcon - 17 Years Old
Grace Dougharty
Breck Jones - 18 Years Old

Young Artists Vocal Competition (YAVC)

YAVC Committee

L to R: Donna Snell, Lucille Harrington, Dr. Paul McGahie, Roseanne Johnson-Fazo, Carol Mahler

A Look Back: Ten Years Of The YAVC

With Thanks from Donna Snell

Over ten years ago, the Gulf Coast Messiah Chorus’ Board of Directors discussed how to attract younger singers so we could assure the future of performances of Handel’s Messiah, our tradition on the Mississippi Gulf Coast since 1952. Dr. Paul McGahie, director of the Chorus, suggested having a competition for young talented singers that would include scholarships and an opportunity to audition for a Messiah solo. So in 2012, Chairman, Dr. Ed Cake asked if I would chair a committee to organize such an event. Dr. McGahie, Carol Mahler and Lucille Harrington volunteered for the committee and a couple of years later Roseanne Johnson-Fazo joined us.

The Young Artists Vocal Competition has awarded over $32,000 in scholarships to 30 young singers. We are grateful to the Bacot-McCarty Foundation for providing grants to the YAVC for a total of $9,250 for scholarships from 2013 - 2018. The rest of the scholarship money has come from individual donations, mostly from members of the Gulf Coast Messiah Chorus. To each of our donors over the years, thank you so much! We appreciate all donations and I know the students have used the money wisely. Because students ages 15 - 25 are eligible to compete, many of our singers have won several scholarships and have sung in the chorus with us for several years. Students have used their scholarship money for school tuition, fees and books. Others have used their money to continue their vocal training, to pay for school trips or other musical or educational endeavors approved by the committee.

Some of our YAVC winners have gone on to complete master’s degrees in music. Some have pursued teaching music from elementary to the college level. Others have had performing opportunities in musical theater or with the Mississippi Opera Company. Others have chosen academic pursuits like marine biology, accounting and nursing. We appreciate all the teachers, parents and choir directors who have encouraged their students to participate in the YAVC and helped them learn a solo.

As a young airman with a dream of directing a Keesler Male Chorus, little did Glenn Draper know in 1952 his inspired idea to perform Messiah at the Air Force Base would become a tradition that was the impetus for what is now the Gulf Coast Messiah Chorus. And ten years ago when we held our first Young Artists Vocal Competition, little did we know how the YAVC would make it possible for the Gulf Coast Messiah Chorus to support and encourage thirty young talented South Mississippi singers!

12th Annual Young Artist Vocal Competition

Kyra De Oliveira is a 24 year old soprano from D’Iberville, MS. She holds degrees in Music Education and Vocal Performance from William Carey University. Kyra has performed lead roles in musical theater and opera at William Carey. Her voice teacher, whom she considers her mentor, is Dr. Susan Ruggiero.

Kyra has won awards from the National Association of Teachers of Singing. Presently she is teaching full time at Biloxi Upper Elementary where she directs choir, show choir and teaches general music. She is working towards a Masters and ultimately a Doctorate in Music, aspiring to teach voice in a college setting.

Kyra performed “Rejoice, Greatly” and received the top prize of $1000 as this year’s Glenn Draper Memorial Scholarship winner.

Katelyn Mobley is a 21 year old sophomore at MGCCC-HC from Biloxi, MS. She is working towards an Associate Degree in Music and ultimately plans to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Music Therapy.

She has a passion for songwriting which she started in middle school to express her feelings through music. She hopes to continue this creative endeavor. Katelyn presently sings in “Coastal Vibrations” and studies voice with Zane Lynn and piano with Patience Pierini at MGCCC.

Katelyn was awarded an $800 YAVC Scholarship. She performed the four soprano recitatives from Handel’s Messiah.

Guy Bowering, Jr. provided accompaniment for the singers and played “The Pastoral Symphony” during the judges’ deliberation.

Judges for the competition interviewed the participants, provided written critiques for the singers and deliberated on scholarships and solos. The judging committee was headed by Messiah Chorus Director, Joy Mehrtens. Also serving were GCMC Board members Roseanne Johnson-Fazo and Lucille Harrington, both professional musicians and longtime soloists with the Messiah Chorus.

Donna Snell served as Master of Ceremonies.

Many thanks to individual donors who provided funds for the YAVC scholarships this year including Laura Ukura-Leir, Lounelle Draper, Pascal Gill, Debby Levy, Peggy Abshire, Lucille Harrington and Roseanne Johnson. Your financial support has made it possible for the Gulf Coast Messiah Chorus through their Young Artists Vocal Competition Scholarship Fund to award over $37,000 in educational scholarships over the past twelve years!

Final Deadline: October 9th, 2024

What Do You Can Do To Help This Scholarship: Donate