By William H. Kelly III
(JACKSON, Miss.) – Jackson State University’s (JSU) Department of Music will travel across the southeast region for its JSU Chorale 2026 Spring Tour, bringing classical music, contemporary gospel songs and traditional spirituals to local churches and high schools in Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia.
From March 17-22, nearly 50 JSU students will showcase their vocal and musical talents in Birmingham, Nashville and Atlanta, visiting areas such as Sixth Avenue Baptist Church, Cascade United Church, Lake Providence Missionary Baptist Church, Cane Ridge High School, Westlake High School and more.
“We are returning to the tradition of proclaiming ‘Thee I Love’ across the region. Last year, we launched our spring tour to much acclaim and with great success. We use this tour with two specific goals prioritized–to recruit future music students to Jackson State, and to serve as positive ambassadors in front our great alumni chapters across the country,” said Director of Chorale Activities Harry Cecil, D.M.A.
“With the great support of our Interim President Dr. Denise Jones Gregory and other incredible JSU administrators, our students are able to gain memorable experiences that allow them to develop their skills as leaders and professional artists outside the classroom.”
In March 2025, the tour brought the chorale to Chicago, where they met high school student Hay’lee Young, who is now a freshman music education major and member of the JSU chorale. She auditioned for the chorale when they visited her high school, and was immediately offered a scholarship from the university.
“I didn’t know where I wanted to go to college yet, but I knew I wanted to go to a college with a professional music program. So, being able to experience people who had such a passion, love, and talent for music, and seeing how welcoming, kind and open-minded everyone was, was really touching for me,” said Young, who is eager to meet the next generation of potential Tigers.
“ I think being able to witness such a professional choir could really encourage other students to make a significant decision on what they want to do for college, even if they don’t want to major in music. I know that it was a great choice for me.”
Since the chorale’s 2025 “I-55 Bus Tour,” which included stops in Memphis, St. Louis and Chicago, the JSU Choirs program has experienced a significant increase in applications and has grown from less than 60 members to over 90. The chorale is open to all JSU students.
The updated list of concerts and high school visits can be found on the @jsuchoir Instagram page. Support the University Chorale and 2026 spring tour by visiting the following website.
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