With the retirement of our founding director Lillian Lee, our choirs are now under the of Anna Johnson, Artistic Director and Bel Canto Conductor; Kristy Brumfield, Assistant Artistic Director and Lyrica Conductor; Alison Custer, Jubilate Conductor, and Michele Chamption, Prima Conductor. Their resumes bring a rich variety of choral experience to The Girlchoir and a passion for working with young women, helping to mould them to not only be wonderful singers, but poised and beautiful young women.
Artistic Staff:
Anna Johnson, Artistic Director
Anna Johnson has been a part of the Mississippi Girlchoir artistic team since 2005. Mrs. Johnson first served the organization as conductor of Jubilate and assistant conductor of Bel Canto. In 2008 she was named artistic director of the Mississippi Girlchoir conducting both Bel Canto and Jubilate. She holds both a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance and a Master of Music in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy from Mississippi College. While there she had extensive experience in the Opera Theater, Chamber Choir, College Singers, and College Chorale. She won numerous awards, including first place in the regional National Association of Teachers of Singing Contest for graduate women, as well as the Young Artist Award. As a trained soprano, Mrs. Johnson continues to perform in the community. She currently serves as the middle school performing arts teacher at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School in Ridgeland. Mrs. Johnson often serves as an adjudicator for local festivals and teaches private voice students. She is an active member of the American Choral Directors Association, Organization of Kodaly Educators, Mississippi Music Educators Association, and the Music Educators National Conference. Mrs. Johnson is a native of Jackson and currently resides in Florence with her husband Ross, and their son William.
incredivoice@yahoo.com
601-940-2309
Kristy Brumfield, Conductor
Kristy Brumfield conducts the Lyrica division of the Mississippi Girlchoir and serves as the Assistant Artistic Director. She is a native of Clinton and currently resides in Vicksburg with her husband, Keith, and their three children, Colby, Collin, and Ashton. Kristy holds a Bachelor of Music Education and a Master of Music in Choral Conducting from Mississippi College. She has taught music and directed choirs for public and private schools in the central Mississippi area for the past eleven years as well as teaching private voice and piano students. She is currently an elementary music specialist in the Vicksburg-Warren School District. In addition to her work in the schools, Kristy has been associated with the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board music department as a music camp faculty member, festival adjudicator, curriculum contributor, and music leadership clinician. Kristy is a member of the American Choral Director's Association, Chorister’s Guild, Music Educator's National Conference, Organization of American Kodaly Educators, and the Mississippi Music Educators Association.
kristy.brumfield@yahoo.com
(601) 624-9112
Alison Custer, Conductor
Alison Custer, conductor of the Jubilate Choir is a graduate of Mississippi College, where she earned her Bachelor of Music Education Degree, with a vocal emphasis. In 2000, the Mississippi Music Educators Association and Hinds County School District awarded her the Outstanding Young Music Director of the Year Award. Ms.Custer has taught private voice for 12 years and has taught general/choral music in Clinton Public and Hinds County schools. In 2007, she joined the Taylor School of Music faculty, at Mississippi College, where she teaches private voice lessons. Ms. Custer assists with the youth choir, Infused, at Parkway Baptist Church, in Clinton. She is a member of the Mississippi Music Educators Association and the American Choral Directors Association.
amccuster@yahoo.com
Michele Champion, Conductor
Michele Champion, conductor of the Prima Choir, Dr. Michele Champion is the newest member of the Mississippi Girl Choir artistic personnel . Michele received her Bachelor of Arts in music and Master of Music from Mississippi College and her Doctor of Arts in music from the University of Mississippi, where she studied Kodály and Orff Schulwerk music education and choral music education. She has taught at both the elementary and collegiate level in Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi and will be the music specialist at McLeod Elementary School in Jackson beginning in August. In addition to her teaching duties, Dr. Champion has conducted several honor choirs, presented sessions for Georgia and Mississippi educators, and served as a curriculum contributor. Michele is an active member of MENC: The National Association for Music Education, the American Choral Director’s Association, The Chorister’s Guild and the American Orff Schulwerk Association.
mchampion70@gmail.com
Lillian Lee, Artistic Director Emeritus
Lillian Lee, founder and artistic director of the Mississippi Girlchoir since 1995, holds a B.M.E. degree from Mississippi University for Women and Master of Music and Master of Voice degrees from Mississippi College. She holds membership in the American Choral Directors Association, Music Educators National Conference, and Organization of American Kodaly Educators. Mrs. Lee received designation as Certified Music Educator by the MENC Conference in 1991. In 1995 she received the Mississippi Music Educator of the Year Award from the Mississippi Music Educators Association, and in 2001 she received the Ernestine Ferrell Award for Excellence in Choral Music. In 2005 Mississippi College selected Mrs. Lee as Music Alumna of the Year. Mrs. Lee has over 45 years teaching experience and frequently serves as a clinician and adjudicator throughout the Southern region. In July of 2008 she retired as Artistic Director and was granted the status of Artistic Director Emeritus by the Board of Directors of MGC. Mrs. Lee is the mother of two daughters, Virginia Lee McMurray and Dr. Dicey Lee Poole both of Little Rock, Arkansas. She is grandmother to Kathleen McMurray, Margaret McMurray, and Michael McMurray also of Little Rock.
mgcll@bellsouth.net
(H) 601-362-9337
(C) 601-832-4490
Executive Director:
Susie Kerce
msgirlchoir@msgirlchoir.org
(O) 601-981-9863
(C) 601-594-6473