The University of Southern Mississippi School of Music

The University of Southern Mississippi has named Dr. Colin McKenzie interim director of the School of Performing and Visual Arts while he continues in his current role as director of the School of Music.

The appointment follows the departure of Prof. Meg Brooker, who has accepted a leadership position at another university after serving as director of the SPVA for four years. Read more at usm.edu/news

Pianist and USM School of Music faculty member Elizabeth Moak recently returned from Europe where performance stops included London, England’s Charterhouse which has a rich history of over 600 years. The photo is from Moak’s piano recital in the Great Chamber, the latter added in the 1540s.

Both Elizabeth I and James I held court in the Great Chamber prior to their coronations. Elizabeth I (seen in the portrait on the wall) held her first Privy Council here and signed letters “from the Royal Palace.”

The Southern Chorale performed the opening concert of their tour in Varese, Italy. Look for more highlights as they travel!

Southern Miss is proud to support FestivalSouth, a celebration of the arts in Hattiesburg.

With events continuing throughout the month, Southern Miss faculty, staff, students, and alumni play a vital role in the festival. From performers and artists to volunteers and organizers, members of the Golden Eagle community showcase their talents through performances and exhibits on campus.

📸 Credit: Jesse Johnson/FestivalSouth

This Thursday, June 18 at 7 p.m., FestivalSouth will present Psycho: Music on the Cutting Edge, the first orchestral concert ever performed in the Martha R. Tatum Theatre. The venue, located in The University of Southern Mississippi’s Theatre and Dance Building on Ross Boulevard, offers an intimate yet highly professional setting that fosters a unique connection between performers and audiences.

Under the direction of Jay Dean, the concert features the FestivalSouth Chamber Orchestra in a program that explores music at the intersection of beauty, tension and the human psyche through works by Gustav Mahler, Arnold Schoenberg and Bernard Herrmann.

https://www.usm.edu/news/2026/releases/psycho-music-on-the-cutting-edge.php

The Southern Miss School of Music is sad to report that former School of Music faculty member John Donohue passed away last week.  Following the completion of his Ph.D. at Michigan State University, John joined the School of Music faculty, dedicating 35 years to teaching music theory and ear training before his retirement in 1999.
 
Visitation – Thursday, June 4th, 4pm-7pm 
Hulett-Winstead Funeral Home 
205 Bay St, Hattiesburg, MS 39401
 
Funeral – Friday, June 5th, 11am 
St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church 
3117 W 4th St, Hattiesburg, MS 39401

The Southern Chorale, from The University of Southern Mississippi School of Music, launches an international America 250 tour through major cultural festivals in the United States and Europe. From the pine forests of Mississippi and FestivalSouth to historic venues in Italy, France, Latvia, and Estonia, the internationally celebrated Southern Chorale will carry the sounds of American music across two continents this summer in a tour that reflects both the artistic legacy of the American South and the global language of choral music.

Presented as part of the nationwide America 250 celebration, “Mississippi Sounds” places one of the nation’s premier collegiate choral ensembles on stages that have long served as gathering places for artistic exchange, sacred music, and international collaboration. The 50-voice choir will perform a distinctly American program showcasing Charles Ives, Caroline Shaw, Ted Hearne, Moses Hogan, Paul Williams and Marvin Gaye. Genres will span fine art music, gospel, spirituals, Mississippi blues and American popular music customized for the Southern Chorale by Southern Miss alumnus Jonathan Rodgers.

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“Mississippi Sounds” Carries Southern Voices Across the World The Southern Chorale, from The University of Southern Mississippi School of Music, launches an international America 250 tour through major cultural festivals in the United States and Europe. From the pine forests of Mississippi to historic venues in Italy, France, Latvia, and Estonia, the internat...