39056 Fair introduces MC students to Clinton’s offerings
By Sarah Grace Coleman
As the 2026 fall semester begins at Mississippi Christian University, the Department of Music is hard at work preparing for this year’s productions, so Clintonians are encouraged to mark their calendars for several upcoming events, which include a 9/11 Memorial Concert, a theatrical production of The Prince of Egypt: The Musical, and The Festival of Lights.
The MC Singers, one of MC’s choral ensembles, will perform alongside the Pearl High School Singers and the Mississippi Chorus on September 11 at 7 p.m. in a 9/11 Memorial Concert, which will be held at the First Baptist Church in Jackson. The concert will include the piece “Memorial” by René Clausen.
“We want to memorialize the tragedy of the event, but, more than that, we don’t want people to leave sad. We want people to leave with a reminder of the resilience of the human spirit, of how many things brought us together in the midst of tragedy,” said Beth Everett.
Everett is the Director of Choral Activities at MC, including MC Singers. She is also the artistic director for the Mississippi Chorus, which is responsible for spearheading the event.
“For most of these students, they weren’t even alive when this happened,” continued Everett, “so it will be a chance to really get in touch with a piece of our nation’s history, and to honor the people that were lost on that day, as well as to honor our first responders.”
Tickets for the 9/11 Memorial Concert can be purchased in advance at www.mschorus.org, or bought at the door. Admission is free for first responders in uniform, as well as students K-12, $20 for adults, and $10 for university students.
In the following month, Lyric Stage, MC’s home for music, theater and opera, will be performing a production of The Prince of Egypt: The Musical. It will take place on October 16 and 17 at 7 p.m., and October 18 at 3 p.m. in the Jean Pittman Willians Recital Hall located in the Aven Fine Arts Building on MC’s main campus.
“There’s special effects and dancing and technique we’ll work on that we haven’t had the opportunity to do with our previous musicals,” said Jamie Ertle, an assistant professor of music and theater at MC, who is directing the production. “For [MC’s] 200th year, we’re trying to go bigger, go better, and do our best. It’s a big show, but it’s a beautiful show and very rewarding.”
“There are so many talented students involved, not just in the music department but from all of the departments,” continued Ertle. “We’ve got child roles in this, too, so there’s some children from the community participating, which I think people will be excited about.”
Tickets for the musical can be purchased in advance at music.mc.edu/tickets, as well as bought at the door. General admission will cost $25, $10 for faculty and staff, and $10 for students. Seating will not be reserved.
On December 3, 4, and 5, the MC Singers will perform again, this time in the Festival of Lights. It will take place at 7 p.m. in Provine Chapel, located on MC’s main campus. The festival will also feature MC’s newest choirs, Assurance and Tenebrae, and will include the reading of Bible verses, choral performances and the singing of carols.
“We want to be putting people in the right spirit and focusing on what’s really important about Christmas and that is the birth of Jesus,” said Everett. “We can set the tone for people’s holidays, and we want them to begin that in a time of worship.”
Tickets can be purchased in advance at music.mc.edu/tickets or bought at the door. General admission will cost $20, $10 for faculty and staff, $10 for university students, and $10 for senior citizens aged 65 and older.
The Department of Music will also feature multiple recitals and concerts this fall. For a complete list of offerings, visit Music.MC.edu/events.
