Area high school choral students will have an opportunity to display their musical talents when the annual District High School Choral Festival is held Thursday, Oct. 28, 2010, at East Central Community College in Decatur.

Activities begin at 8 a.m. and conclude at 3 p.m. in Huff Auditorium.

The talented high school students will be under the director of guest clinician John Flanery, director of choral activities at the University of Southern Mississippi. At USM, Flanery teaches undergraduate choral conducting and choral methods, choral literature and directs the Concert Choir and Southern Miss Gulf Coast Civic Choral. He also assists with many other ensembles.

Students participating in the festival will perform three musical selections chosen by Mr. Flanery during a mass choir setting at 1:30 p.m. in Huff Auditorium. The public is invited to attend the free performance.

The ECCC Concert Choir and the Ac’cent’s, the College’s show choir, will also perform at the festival. Both groups are under the direction of Vicki Blaylock, choral director and music instructor. Blaylock also serves as choral festival coordinator. ECCC music instructor Natalie Emmons serves as festival accompanist and is also assistant director and accompanist for the concert choir.

“We are very pleased to once again host the District High School Choral Festival,” said Blaylock. “We especially look forward to having so many musically talented students from our district on campus. We anticipate a wonderful program and invite public to attend the performance.”

 A record 325 students participated in the 2009 festival.

For more information, contact Vicki Blaylock, 601-635-6225 or e-mail vblaylock@eccc.edu.