Thu,
04/09/2026 – 10:46am | By: Mike Lopinto
The University of Southern Mississippi School of Music will present “Made in America,” a concert of American music, on Tuesday, May 5, at
7:30 p.m. in the Immersive Media Performing Arts Center (iMPAC) in Gulfport, Miss. The event will feature voices of the Hattiesburg Choral Union,
Southern Miss Gulf Coast Civic Chorale and choirs from the Harrison County and Jackson County campuses of Mississippi Gulf
Coast Community College, alongside the famed Southern Miss Symphony Orchestra.
An exciting evening of music is planned for the coast’s celebration of America’s 250th birthday. Musical selections will include Randal Thompson’s “Frostiana,” which highlights
the poetry of Robert Frost, and Aaron Copland’s mighty third and final symphony, often
referred to as the essential American symphony, which will close the program. A prominent
feature of Copland’s symphony is “Fanfare for the Common Man,” a musical celebration
fitting for this momentous anniversary.
Thompson was commissioned to compose a work to commemorate the bicentennial of Amherst,
Mass., in 1959. Robert Frost had lived there for several years, and the two were friends. “Frostiana” is the product of the collaboration between Frost’s poetry and Thompson’s musical
genius. Thompson, noted for his choral works, taught at both Harvard University and
the Curtis Institute of Music, where he mentored many well-known musicians, including
Leonard Bernstein.
Copland’s symphonic legacy was secured with the third symphony. In the 1940s, American composers were searching for “The Great American Symphony,”
and Copland’s four-movement work filled the bill. Composed for Serge Koussevitzky
and the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the jubilant full orchestral forces were a celebration
of the end of World War II.
Tickets are available online, at the Southern Miss Ticket Office, or by calling 800.844.8425.
About the School of Music
The School of Music at The University of Southern Mississippi is the state’s flagship music program and
a destination campus for the study of music across the region, the United States and
the world. Housed within the College of Arts and Sciences, the school offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees and has earned a national
and international reputation for excellence. Its distinguished faculty members are
active performers and educators who appear on stages from local communities to major
international venues. The School of Music is home to acclaimed band, choral, orchestral,
jazz, opera and musical theater ensembles and provides extensive solo and chamber
music performance opportunities. Students regularly perform at regional, national
and international events and work with leading guest artists in preparation for careers
as 21st century performers and educators.