Category: News

ELLISVILLE – The Magnolia Brass Band from the 41st Army Band based in Jackson, is touring the state on a mission to recruit more musicians, especially community college students. Two of the six members in the band, Spc. Brandon Broome of Sumrall and Sgt. Patrick Hand, currently a Gulfport resident, has ties to Jones College and are already enjoying the benefits of being a military band musician. Even though the Magnolia Brass Band, which is part of the Army National Guard, performs throughout the state, the nation and abroad, everyone adheres to the military’s physical and training requirements. The Brass Band only rehearses one weekend a month and spends two weeks a year in active training, like “regular” National guardsmen.

“Last summer we spent two weeks in Hawaii filling in for the active members of the band there,” shared Sgt. Joe Raymond, who is also the Wayne County School District’s Director of Bands. “We’re soldiers first and musicians full-time, but we’re not likely to be deployed.”

Among the benefits most appealing to Sgt. Raymond is the college education and student loan payoff program. This allowed him to work on his master’s degree without incurring any debt. Also interested in the college education program is Spc. Broome, who is currently a sophomore at Jones College and plays trombone for the Maroon Typhoon at JC. He and trumpeter, Sgt. Hand, who graduated from JC in 2011, proudly enjoys serving their country by performing.

“Five years ago, I was teaching music at the high school level and heard this band (the National Guard’s Magnolia Brass Band) play at a band directors’ clinic. I didn’t know the Army National Guard had bands and this could be an option for me,” said Sgt. Hand. “My wife is happy because as a member of the band I am least likely to be deployed and I like the fact I get to serve in the military and perform.”

After graduating from Jones College, Sgt. Hand continued his music education degree at USM where he studied under Dr. Patrick Richards, who is currently an assistant director of bands at Jones College. Sgt. Hand did his student teaching at South Jones High School in Ellisville, before becoming a band director at Oak Grove in 2013 and at West Harrison schools in 2014. Now, in addition to his military career, Sgt. Hand said he also has the privilege in his civilian career to build warships at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, as an electrician. However, returning to the Jones campus to perform with the Brass Band was a nostalgic experience; reminding him of where his musical career thrived.

“So many things have changed over nine years, and yet many things are the same,” said Sgt. Hand. “I feel like I’m home every time I return to Jones.”

The Army National Guard has several bands aspiring musicians can audition to join, including a full concert band, jazz band, rock band and marching band. Currently, the Wayne County School District’s Assistant Director of Bands, Spc. Sarah Nichols plays trumpet for the Magnolia Brass Band. However, she was a member of a couple of rock bands in the Hattiesburg area before learning she could return to performing classical and traditional music with the Army’s health benefits. After discovering the benefits of being a musician in the Army National Guard, Jones College freshman from Wayne County, Noah Schuman, said he is considering joining the Army’s Brass Band, like his High School band director, Sgt. Raymond.

ELLISVILLE –A musical feast featuring musicians from the region and music from around the world and centuries ago will be heard on Fridays in March and April at Jones College. The annual Spring Recital Series features a variety of musicians and vocalists entertaining the audience around the lunch hour.  This musical event begins on Friday, March 27, at 12 p.m. until 12:55 p.m. in the M.P. Bush Fine Arts Auditorium and will continue on each Friday through April 24, in the Foote Chapel at JC, at 1 p.m.  All concerts are free and open to the public.  For more information call the JC Fine Arts Department at 601-477-4203 or online at https://www.facebook.com/JCJCFineArts/

On Friday, March 27, at 12 p.m. in the M.P. Bush Fine Arts Auditorium, the Series opens with, “The Impromptu Piano Trio,” featuring Stephen Redfield on violin; Alexander Russakovsky on cello and Theresa Sanchez on piano, with musical selections from Schubert’s Trio in B-flat and Joaquin Turina’s Piano Trio No. 2.

The Friday, April 3, performance of the “Dueling Divas,” will begin at 1 p.m. in the Foote Chapel. Mezzo-soprano, Jeanette Fontaine and soprano, Roza Tulyaganova will perform a delightful program of operatic and Broadway arias and duets, accompanied on piano by Dr. Victoria Johnson.

Heavenly harpists, Catherine Anderson of New Orleans and Rebecca Todaro of Baton Rouge of, “Quintessential Harp,” will be performing original and transcribed repertoire on Friday, April 17, at 1 p.m., in the Foote Chapel on the campus of JC in Ellisville. The duo’s program showcases both harpists in a conversation through repertoire from the ages.

The final recital on Friday, April 24, at 1 p.m., in the Foote Chapel, features the unusual chamber ensemble, “Keys, Bow and a Slide – Music for Violin, Trombone and Piano.”  With Anne-Gaëlle Ravetto on violin, Douglas Mark on trombone, and Jung-Won Shin accompanying the duo on piano, this trio will play original compositions for their unique timbres including works by Anthony O’Toole, Robert Patterson and Rodrigo Camargo. The latter two pieces were expressly written for this ensemble.

ELLISVILLE–Jones College’s Concert Choir will spend the spring performing in churches throughout Jones County. The first concert is scheduled for Sunday, March 8, at 6 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Sharon.  Additionally, the 86-member choir will be performing on Sunday, April 5, at 6:30 p.m. at West Ellisville Baptist Church and on April 19, at 6 p.m., the choir will be presenting their concert at Hebron Baptist Church in Soso at 6 p.m. The public is invited to attend these free events.

 JC Choral director, Dr. Joel Dunlap will be directing the talented members of the Concert Choir singing a varied repertoire including selections such as the spirited, “John the Revelator,” arranged by Paul Caldwell and Sean Ivory, the heart rendering “Earth Song,” by Frank Ticheli, and the roaring concert spiritual, “He’s Got the Whole World,” arranged by Ray Liebau.  Other selections include, “Sing Unto God,” by Paul Fetler, “Sleep,” by Eric Whitacre, “Homeward Bound,” by Mack Wilberg, and “Ascription of Praise,” to close the concert.

Assisting the choir is Alexandra Arnold (rehearsal assistant) and Dr. Victoria Johnson (accompanist) of the Jones Fine Arts department.  For more information contact the JC Fine Arts Department at 601-477-4203 or email joneschoir@jcjc.edu.

JC Concert Choir

 Acosta, Sarah  Hattiesburg

Adkins, Olivia Laurel

Allen, Dailen   Liberty

Allen, Zailen   Liberty

Altman, Keara Quitman

Beasley, Sharityn Waynesboro

Biglane, Erin   Ellisville

Boykin, Layne Waynesboro

Bray, McKaylee Leakesville

Brown, Vincent Moselle

Brownlee, Sarah Laurel

Brunty, Desi Laurel

Butler, Josh Ellisville,

Byrd, Hannah  Laurel

Byrd, ZiKeya Saraland, AL

Callen, Patrick Laurel

Carmichael, Coriana Laurel

Clark, Jada Waynesboro

Collins, Chicago Brookhaven

Cooley, Erica Waynesboro

Cooley, Jalen Quitman

Crowder, Caidyn Ellisville

Dailey, Alex Buckatunna

DeCastro, Faith Tamuning, Guam

Evans, Ty Laurel

Floyd, Lexie Qutiman

Fortenberry, Kaneisha, Laurel

Gable, Haley Laurel

Garick, Alyssa Laurel

Gibson, Allison Lucedale

Goff, Cortland Ellisville

Griffin, Peyton Ellisville

Guy, Haley Laurel

Hannah, Kayla Byram

Heath, Hunter Ellisville

Henderson, Hannah Millry, AL

Henry, Rondaisha Bay Springs

Herron, Khalil Laurel

Hoffman, Mackenzie Laurel

Hoffman, Madison Laurel

Holifield, Haley Laurel

Johns, Chandon Ellisville

Johnson, Dariyel Leakesville

Johnson, Rayshawn Laurel

Joshua, Jourdon Laurel

King, Peyton Petal

Lampley, Kyra Petal

Lee, Jada Sumrall

Lee-McSwain, Shara Sumrall

Lewis, Janna Enterprise

Lott, Madeline Columbia

Malone, Kelsey Richton

Manning, Kaylee Laurel

Mason, Hunter Laurel

McClendon, Clairrease Ellisville

McDonald, Bryce Richton

McKellar, Anna-Claire Vicksburg

McMillan, Sarah Millry, AL

Meadows, Hallie Piave

Miller, Somya Mt. Olive

Mims, Makaila Laurel

Murphy, Eden Petal

Musgrove, Chelsea Soso

Nobles, Stuyuncey Laurel

Pearce, Caleb  Ellisville

Phillips, Jalin   Waynesboro

Pippin, Olivia  Laurel

Pittman, Zyion Soso

Sanford, Larsen Seminary

Shivers, Connor Lena

Slover, Josarah Laurel

Smith, James   Hattiesburg

Smith, Savanah Raleigh

Smith, Tellas   Laurel

Snowdy, Alex Madison

Sumrall, Jenna Kate Laurel

Swanner, Janna Taylorsville

Taylor, Grace  Magee

Thomas, Jesse Smithdale

Thompson, Michael Laurel

Todd, Reagan  Laurel

Ulmer, Karsyn Laurel

Welch, Bonner Moselle

Wells, Jasmine Mendenhall

Westmoreland, Alex Laurel

Zickus, Chaz Ellisville

ELLISVILLE – Jones College’s Fine Arts Department invites the public to hear the Mississippi State University Wind Ensemble perform on Tuesday, March 3, at noon in the M.P. Bush Fine Arts Auditorium.  Jorge Castillo, a 2019 Jones College graduate from Ellisville, is a member of the Wind Ensemble at MSU. The group’s performance at Jones College is an opportunity for the Ensemble to inspire future MSU musicians as they travel to the American School Band Symposium on the Mississippi Coast.

The 75-member Wind Ensemble is the premiere instrumental student ensemble at Mississippi State University and is under the direction of Elva Kay Lance, the Director of Bands at Mississippi State. Membership is extended to the most advanced musicians by competitive audition, regardless of university major. This select group represents the musical student leadership of the band program and performs in both the Fall and Spring semesters. Members aspire to elevate individual and collective musicianship and strengthen performance skills. The ensemble has a tradition of musical excellence and is committed to playing the finest new works along with the traditional masterpieces from the past.

The band has been the featured university band at the Mississippi Bandmaster’s Convention and for the Mississippi All-State Concert Band on several occasions and will perform for the American Bandmasters Association convention in 2020. In addition to regular performances in the Mid-South, the Wind Ensemble conducted a performance tour of the British Isles in 2008, Germany and Austria in 2011, Italy in 2014, and Austria and the Czech Republic in 2019.

In addition to their concert appearances, Lance and the Wind Ensemble embrace a mission to advance the wind ensemble literature while preparing future musical leaders. They regularly participate in the commissioning of new literature and through this process ensemble members are exposed to a diverse repertoire and a variety of compositional techniques that challenge each student to further develop their musicianship skills.

ELLISVILLE –Jones College sophomores, Harrison Hartzog of Tylertown and Brandon Waldrup of Ellisville were each awarded a $1,500 tuition scholarship from the Southeast Area Chapter of the Mississippi Engineering Society as part of National Engineering Week.  They were selected from a pool of applicants from a nine-county area with the MES scholarship committee making the final selections according to Steven Parker, MES President. Scholarship recipients are chosen based on several parameters including, character, integrity, an essay, and the application.

“All of the applicants were very deserving making it difficult to choose this year’s recipients,” said Parker. “I look forward to working with them in the future and after they become engineers.”

Since 1995, the Southeast Chapter of MES has distributed more than $40,000 in financial assistance to students pursuing their engineering degrees at a Mississippi IHL Accredited College of Engineering. Hartzog, a Columbia Academy graduate is thinking about being a mechanical engineer and possibly working for Chevron in the future. West Jones High School graduate, Waldrup has chosen to specialize as an electrical engineer with aspirations of working with a power company.

“Receiving this scholarship inspires me to work even harder,” said Waldrup.  “I appreciate the MPES for recognizing students who work hard to accomplish their goals.”

Hartzog said receiving the scholarship has also motivated him to continue working hard. Both scholarship recipients plan on attending Mississippi State University after graduating from Jones.

“My parents have always supported me and I’m glad this scholarship will help us pay for tuition. The MES Scholarship will definitely help me when I transfer,” said Hartzog.

Students receiving a scholarship from the MES are required to be members of the Jones College’s Engineering Society and have a GPA ranging from 3.5 to 4.0.  JC Engineering Society sponsor and physics instructor, Mary Boleware said the partnership with the MES plays an important role in better preparing our engineering majors.

“We appreciate area professionals mentoring our students and providing opportunities to continue their education through these scholarships,” said Boleware.

The annual meeting, which was hosted at Howard Industries with MES included about 50 college and high school students from the Pine Belt exposing them to job opportunities and academic advice. JC’s Engineering Society co-hosted the event which included presentations from the University of Mississippi and Mississippi State University’s colleges of engineering.