Copiah-Lincoln Community College Choir to Perform World Premiere at Carnegie Hall

Special to Wesson News

The Copiah-Lincoln Community College Choir will perform in the Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage at the internationally renowned Carnegie Hall in New York City on Monday, May 25, 2026, marking a distinguished milestone in the history of the college’s choral program.

Under the direction of Dr. Bobby G. Helms, Director of Choral Activities, the ensemble will present the world premiere of To Truly Love, a multi-movement composition by Sherry Blevins and Raphael Fusco. The performance will feature choirs from Mississippi and Texas in collaboration with the New England Symphonic Ensemble.

Reflecting on the invitation, Dr. Helms stated, “The opportunity to conduct at Carnegie Hall is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and to conduct a world premiere makes the occasion especially meaningful. It is both humbling and inspiring to stand in a venue that holds such a profound and distinguished musical legacy. I am deeply honored to share this experience with our Co-Lin students, alumni, faculty, and fellow choral ensembles from Mississippi and Texas.”

The concert is presented by MidAmerica Productions and will also feature distinguished performing arts organizations, including the Mississippi Boychoir, Presbyterian Christian School of Hattiesburg, and First Baptist Church of Tyler, Texas.

For more than four decades, MidAmerica Productions has presented conductors, soloists, and choral and orchestral ensembles from across the United States and internationally at New York City’s most prestigious venues. These include Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage, Weill Recital Hall, and Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall, as well as Alice Tully Hall and David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center. The organization has demonstrated a longstanding commitment to the advancement of contemporary music, presenting more than 100 world premieres, 40 United States premieres, and 125 New York premieres.

This Carnegie Hall engagement represents a significant honor for Copiah-Lincoln Community College and underscores the excellence and continued growth of its choral program.

Anyone wishing to donate to help make this trip and performance possible can contact Bobby G. Helms at bobby.helms@colin.edu.