Tours of two impressive homes, catered foods, floral designs and inspiring choral music are in store Saturday, May 9 during “An Evening with the Columbus Girlchoir.” The Girlchoir fundraiser begins at 5 p.m. with tours and hors d’oeuvres at the home of John and Eulalie Davis, and then tours and desserts at the residence of Mississippi University for Women President Dr. Jim Borsig. The Girlchoir Spring Concert follows at 7 p.m. in Poindexter Hall on the MUW campus. All locations are on College Street.
Alicia Harper is chair of the event.
“In the past we’ve done the kitchen and home tours as our annual fundraiser; this year we decided to highlight the concert with this progressive evening,” she explained. “We have such a wonderful partnership with The W. Dr. Borsig was so gracious to open his home, and the Davises are leading citizens in our great little town and are welcoming us into their Victorian home.”
Dr. Cherry Dunn, an MUW Department of Music faculty member, directs the Girlchoir. The group is in final rehearsals for the May 9 concert.
Borsig remarked, “The university is committed to encouraging the arts throughout the region and hosting public performances. I’m delighted to support the Girlchoir and salute the good work done by The W’s faculty and staff, particularly Dr. Cherry Dunn.”
Ticket holders will begin at the Davis home at 916 College St., for tours, hors d’oeuvres by Bridgette Harding and Harding Catering, and floral arrangements by Ivy Cottage Florist. The university president’s house at 1217 College St. will offer desserts by Sodexo.
“It’s amazing for a town our size to have such a great thing as the Girlchoir, and we’re happy to help,” said Eulalie Davis. “We really admire what Cherry Dunn does with and for those girls.
The music
The 7 p.m. Spring Concert in Poindexter Hall will showcase more than 70 singers in the Junior and Senior Girlchoirs. Dunn is enthusiastic about the program.
“The junior choir will be singing a beautiful piece called ‘Sing to Me,’ by Andrea Ramsey, and they’re doing one with violin, ‘The Rain She Has a Silver Broom,’ by Rick McKee.’ They’ll end with ‘Uncle Joe,’ an old folk song,” she said.
The senior choir program includes “Ave Maria” by Saint-Saens “and a stunning song we’re going to do at the Crescent City Choral Festival in New Orleans in June, called ‘No Time,’ a medley of traditional camp songs. It’s gorgeous,” Dunn said. The concert will conclude with a medley from “Les Miserables.”
How to go
Tickets for “An Evening with the Columbus Girlchoir” are $25, available in Columbus at the Convention and Visitors Bureau, Ivy Cottage Florist or Pizazz.
Tickets to the concert only are $5; those 13 and younger attend free.
“Columbus is so beautiful during this time of year, especially College Street and The W campus; we want to offer a lovely evening, one that benefits the Girlchoir and the community,” said Harper.
For more information, contact Harper at 662-329-5256.
Jan Swoope is the Lifestyles Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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