The Vicksburg Warren School District Honor choir concert was held Monday night at the Vicksburg Auditorium with 226 elementary students performing five selections under the direction of guest clinician, John Flanery the associate choral director at the University of Southern Mississippi.

He said he spent the morning rehearsing with the students.

“I had about five hours with the kids today” Flanery said, but added the students came prepared.

“The month of March is dedicated to music in our schools,” Nancy Robertson said, and this is a great way to showcase the talents of the children.

Robertson is the fine arts curriculum coordinator for the Vicksburg Warren School District.

At the beginning of the school year, auditions are held and any fifth- or sixth-grade student has the opportunity to tryout for the Honor Choir, Robertson said.

Students are selected by each school’s choral director and are chosen on vocal ability, grades and behavior.

The Honor Choir students have been practicing the selected musical pieces performed Monday night since January, Robertson said.

“We have been practicing for a long time,” said Morgan Nelson a sixth grade student at Beechwood Elementary.

Praising the VWSD, Flanery said he would “absolutely” return to Vicksburg as a guest director.

“It’s great for the fifth and sixth grade students to have an opportunity to watch the older students perform and see where they are going. To coin a Disney phrase its kind of a circle of life,” he said.

Other choirs preforming Monday night included the Vicksburg High School and Warren Central High School Madrigals, the VJHS Emerald singers, WCJHS choir and members of the WCHS choirs.

Music performed by the Honor Choir included classical selections, pieces with instrumentals and a light-hearted song that had the students barking like dogs.

Gracie James said she enjoyed participating in the Honor Choir.

“You get to sing and it’s fun,” she said.

Gracie is also a sixth grade student at Beechwood Elementary.

In the final choral selection all of the choirs that included 400 voices sang a musical arrangement by Lloyd Larson, which was a tribute to the Armed Services.