Honor Choir completes work with tour

Months of planning and rehearsals paid off March 17-19 when 159 students in grades four through six gathered in Montgomery for a weekend choir tour of the first Alabama Baptist All-State Honor Choir.
   
The students came from across the state for five concerts in Montgomery at Eastdale Mall, Forest Park Baptist Church, the Holidome at Holiday Inn East, Eastern Hills Baptist Church and Heritage Baptist Church.
   
“The purpose of the choir was to give children the opportunity to exercise their God-given ability to sing with other boys and girls in honoring our Lord,” said Ray Burdeshaw, director of the office of worship leadership and church music with the State Board of Missions (SBOM).
   
“This is an exciting event for the young musicians in our state,” he said.
   
“This is a tremendous honor and opportunity for those children selected to have a musical, social and spiritual experience that goes beyond the local church experience. Hopefully, they will remember this the rest of their lives.”
   
According to Burdeshaw, the idea of an auditioned choir began at children’s music camp last July at Shocco Springs Conference Center.
   
Hoping to receive between 80 and 100 audition tapes, Burdeshaw was thrilled when more than 200 children sent in tapes.
   
A selection panel chose 159 in November. The children were then sent music and tapes of their singing parts for the choir tour.
   
Whitney Head, a fourth-grader and member of First Baptist Church, Indian Springs, (Shelby Association) describes the experience as one that gives students “freedom” because children were responsible for learning most of the music on their own.
   
Three regional rehearsals were held throughout the state, with the choir singing together for the first time March 17.
   
The group practiced about six hours that night and Saturday morning before their first performance Saturday afternoon.
   
The weekend was broken up with special activities including ice skating and a dinner banquet.
   
“My favorite thing was going to the mall. (I liked) everything about it — singing there, eating there, shopping there,” said Head. “There were a lot of people there watching us.”
   
The weekend had a big impact on the students, some of which may not be seen for years to come.
   
“Because of this, we’re going to see boys and girls called out in ministry,” Burdeshaw said.
   
Burdeshaw expressed appreciation for adult leadership throughout the weekend. Adult volunteers served supper and refreshments as well as led in games and devotions.
   
Burdeshaw is already planning for next year’s concerts. The structure of the schedule will be similar. He expects details to be nailed down by August.
   
The group was directed by Jane Burdeshaw, children’s choir specialist for the SBOM. Deborah Anderson, music specialist from Selma, was the accompanist. The choir was sponsored by the SBOM’s office of worship leadership and church music.