Contact: Pam McTeer
STARKVILLE, Miss.--Mississippi State's interim director of choral activities is this year's selection for the Ernestine Ferrell Award for Excellence in Choral Music of the Mississippi Music Educators Association/American Choral Directors Association Convention.
Assistant professor Bruce Lesley is receiving the memorial begun in 1990 to honor the career of Ernestine Ferrell, the state organization's longtime supervisor of music. He and others selected for the honor must have been active in state choral music programs for at least 20 years and made significant contributions to choral art, among other criteria.
"To be recognized by my peers for contributing to choral music in Mississippi is very gratifying, and a huge honor for me," the Fulton native said. "I grew up knowing about the person for whom the award is named, and have had the opportunity to stay in Mississippi and teach; it's very gratifying."
Lesley, who received a bachelor's degree from the University of North Alabama and master's and doctoral degrees from the University of Mississippi, earlier was a visiting lecturer in voice at MSU.
"I consider it an honor to have the opportunity to teach at Mississippi State University," Lesley said. "To be appreciated is truly rewarding, especially when students and former students express to me the impact that their choral experience had on them both musically and emotionally."
Before joining the MSU faculty in 2003, Lesley directed choral activities at Mississippi University for Women for 13 years. Previous to that, he led the Tupelo High School program 1979-90 and continues to conduct music for Tupelo's First Presbyterian Church.
Under Lesley's leadership at MUW, choral program student participation increased by 300 percent, growing to include the MUW Chorale, Madrigal Singers, Men's and Treble Choir, and The Group. In 2003, the MUW Choir's performance at the state ACDA convention received standing ovations at both the beginning and end of its performance, Lesley said.
During his Tupelo High tenure, Lesley led 10 performing ensembles in grades nine-12 that collected a total of more than 130 superior ratings and 27 "best-in-class" trophies in Mississippi and Tennessee. His 1989 conducting debut at THS involved 100 students performing at New York's famed Carnegie Hall.
At First Presbyterian Church, he led in creating the Sanctuary Artist Series, which features local artists performing sacred music.