Alcorn’s Karl Twyner chosen as guest clinician for the Jackson Public Schools All-City Festival of Music
A bunch of Jackson, Miss. area high school students will be afforded the opportunity to enhance their musicianship under the guidance of one of Alcorn State University’s most artistic employees.
Interim director of choral activities Karl Twyner will serve as guest clinician for the Jackson Public Schools (JPS) All-City Festival of Music Thursday, April 9th at the Cordoza Middle School Gymnasium in Jackson, Miss. Twyner will conduct the high school honors group during the concert.
The JPS Music Festival has been in existence for more than 40 years. It is the highlight event for schools in Jackson that features elementary, middle and high school students in band, string orchestra and chorus.
Twyner, a Jackson, Miss. native, began his teaching career in the Jackson Public School system in 1978 as an elementary music teacher. He served as the choral director at Murrah High School, Powell Junior High School and Lanier High School. He was also the director of choral activities at Paul Quinn College in Waco, Texas.
Twyner is looking forward to overseeing and preparing the talented students to give a heartfelt performance. He feels that his position as guest clinician is the perfect opportunity to encourage high school students to pursue an education at Alcorn.
“It is a wonderful honor to have been asked to come,” said Twyner. “It is an honor and a great recruiting opportunity for Alcorn. If they enjoy the time we spend working with them, then we hope that they will want to come to Alcorn to study and sing in our program.”
Twyner hopes that the students will view their experience as one they will always remember. He also hopes the experience persuads them to use their musical ability to earn scholarship money for college.
“I hope that the students would have a choral music experience of a lifetime. I also hope that they enjoy conveying a positive message in their music. I hope that the students will want to audition for scholarship opportunities within the music department.”