Hearing Oxford Civic Chorus is Believing

Oxford Civic Chorus

Choral music tends to be appreciated more in Europe than in America, but that doesn’t mean European choirs are superior. As a matter of fact, as MPB’s arts reporter Ron Brown tells us, one of the most accomplished choir directors of the past 20 years lives and works right here in Mississippi.

The Oxford Civic Chorus is busy getting ready for one of their five annual performances. The 60 member group rehearses for three hours once a week. Their song list includes a wide variety of music styles. In addition to religious hymns and spirituals, there’s folk music. They also sing Broadway show tunes and they even cover the classics, like the Beatles.
Choir director Jerry Jordan says the eclectic song selection has a specific purpose.

“We wanted this concert to be a little lighter. It’s springtime and the flowers are blooming and everybody’s ready to feel light and gay.”

Every one of the choir members is an accomplished musician. Their instrument is voice. And they have years of experience. Some reside in Oxford, but choir president Betty Guess says the Oxford Civic Chorus is a regional collection.

“We have some from Southaven. We have some from Memphis, one from Olive Branch, one from Tupelo, one from Charleston, Water Valley, Bruce, Pontotoc, just the surrounding area. And these people have worked all day long, and they sit through a hard two-hour rehearsal but are so excited to be here.”

The attraction to joining the Oxford Civic Chorus is not only the love of music. Members like Tara Tanner drive up to four hours a night each week because of who is directing the choir.

“They’ve got chorus music just about everywhere but not as good in the Oxford Civic Chorus. Dr. Jerry Jordan is one of the best. He’s one of the top choral clinicians in the united states and in Europe.”

Jerry Jordan taught at the University of Mississippi for 21 years before retiring in 2001. Before he left, he amassed more international choral competition wins than any other American choir director in history. His choirs have won the 2000 choral Olympics in Austria and the most prestigious choral competition in the world in Italy. Jordan did all this by relying on one of the body’s most sensitive instruments, his impeccable ears. Even though choir director Jordan is slowly going deaf.

“My ears started ringing, Tinnitus is the technical term, in 1980. The year I came to Ole Miss. And it has steadily worsened and my hearing has gotten steadily worse.”

The damage is irreversible.

“I tend not to hear consonants. And so, people are talking to me and sometimes I’ll get words completely mixed up . I hear the vowels but I don’t hear the sss ttt ccc. The consonants.”

“It is a sad thing to happen.” Holmes Paschall is a choir member and former student: “The musical ear that he has, it’s sad to have anything impair that whatsoever. A travesty. A smear on the Mona Lisa.”

Jordan estimates that he’s lost about 40-percent of high frequency sounds. Troubling for most, still, Jordan somehow is able to guide the chorus to high levels of performance. Hearing aids help, but chorus president Betty Guess thinks he’s getting help from somewhere else.

“It is almost like a miracle”

Jerry Jordan will direct the Oxford Civic Chorus next Friday night at the North Oxford Baptist Church. It’s something they say you have to hear, to believe. For MPB News, I’m Ron Brown