History of Mobile's Singing Children
Mobile's Singing Children was founded in 1977 by Bonnie Jean and Valrey Early for the purpose of offering to children in the Mobile metropolitan area the opportunity to perform choral music of the highest quality in age-appropriate ensembles.
MOBILE’S
SINGING CHILDREN
SELECTED HIGHLIGHTS 1977-2005
1977
Founded by Bonnie Jean and Valrey Early, the very first group of
Mobile’s Singing Children was comprised of 20 – 25 singers,
ages 8 - 10
years old
1982 MSC was chartered as a non-profit organization by the state of Alabama
1983 MSC’s First European tour, Germany and Austria.
1990 MSC’s Tour of Toronto, Canada
1994 MSC’s Solo Performance Concert at Carnegie Hall, New York
1996
MSC’s Second European tour, Switzerland, Austria and Germany
Performed at Cathedral of Our Lady, Strasbourg, France
1998
MSC Performed at Piccolo Spoleto Festival, Charleston,
Young Voices Honor Choir Festival, Auburn University
1999
MSC’s Washington, D.C. Tour
Performed at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, Washington, DC
Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, Washington, DC
Mobile Opera: Ruggiero’s I Pagliacci
2000 MSC Performed with “Judy Collins Christmas at the Saenger Theater”,
Mobile Opera: Aaron Copeland’s the Tender Land
Disney World Honor Choir Festival, Orlando, FL
Celebration 2000, Mobile Civic Center
2001
Performed two White House concerts, and at one at Mount Vernon, VA
MSC’s Appalachian Tour (Kentucky, Tennessee)
Mobile Opera: Giacomo Puccini’s Tosca
2002
MSC designated Official Children's Choir for Mobile’s Tri-Centennial
Celebration
Silver Anniversary Concert Series
2003
New York, New York Tour
Carnegie Hall, May 31, 2003
St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Solo Concert, May 2003
Other
highlights include performances with Alabama Symphony, Mobile
Symphony, New Orleans World's Fair, Louisiana Philharmonic, Annapolis
Chamber Orchestra, and Musica Sacra, Mobile. MSC Concert Choir has traveled
on tours to Texas, Montana, Virginia, North Carolina, West Virginia, Iowa,
Kansas, Nebraska, and Arkansas.
Mrs. Early regularly performs with Mobile Opera and as an oratorio soloist and she is an adjunct member of the music faculty at the University of South Alabama, teaching private voice and Music Literature courses.
Mr. Early teaches private organ, piano and class piano at the university. They were active church musicians for the same period having retired from their church positions in June 2000. They are members of ACDA, the American Guild of Organists, The American Guild of English Handbell Ringers, the National Association of Teachers of Singing and other professional organizations. Both have been contributors to professional journals.
The "Early" Years: 1977 - 2005
The founders of MSC, Bonnie Jean Early and Valrey W. Early, Jr. have been involved in professional music for over forty years in Mobile, Alabama.