Local students will be participating in the inauguration of Gov. Phil Bryant today in Jackson. The Warren Central High School Madrigal Choir will sing with the Mississippi Boyschoir at the swearing in ceremony, and the WCHS Big Blue Band will march in the parade.

“It’s a huge honor to actually be able to sing at the swearing in,” senior Madrigal Choir member Bailin Caldwell said.

Choir director Nancy Robertson and band director Alan Arendale both said they received their invitations to participate in the inaugural festivities from Mississippi House of Representative Alex Monsour shortly before Christmas.

Students were not informed of the honor until they returned to school after the two-week break, but since learning of their invitations, both have been practicing for the historical moment.

Gov. Bryant will be sworn-in for his second term as Mississippi’s 64th Governor.

All of the music the choir will be singing is new for the group, but Robertson said she knew her students were talented enough to learn the pieces in such a short amount of time.

“I have absolute faith and confidence that they will do what ever it takes to get the music learned on time and to perfection,” she said.

“These pieces weren’t easy either,” Caldwell added.

The Madrigals have practiced from 7:45 to 8:45 each morning since school resumed after the New Year and two hours each Saturday and Sunday.

In addition to scheduled rehearsals, students also practiced at their homes.

“I was willing to plink out the notes on the piano for us and let us record it so we could go home and practice on our own time and listen to it while we are doing homework or something, just to get the notes in our head,” senior Madrigal Choir member Caitlyn Jeffers said.

Songs performed by the Madrigals and the Mississippi Boyschoir are “God Bless America,” Lift Up Your Voice” and “America the Beautiful.”

As one of 30 bands marching in the 1-mile inaugural parade, Big Blue will be playing  “God Bless America.”

This is the song the band performed in the local Veteran’s Day parade, Arendale said, and since the band was already familiar with the musical piece, practice for tomorrow’s event was focused on executing turns.

“We don’t have any turns in our Christmas parade in Vicksburg so we actually have to practice turning. I am sure this is something nobody would think about,” Arendale said with a laugh.

Inaugural events for today’s swearing-in ceremony at the State Capitol building will begin at 11 a.m. The parade will be held in downtown Jackson at 1:30 p.m., and the inaugural ball is set to begin at 7:30 p.m. at the Jackson Convention Complex.