Mulberry is thrilled to be hosting the Southern Chorale from Georgia Southern University as our guests on Feb. 9. They will sing during the 11:00 worship service, stay for the chili cookoff, then perform a short concert at 1:00 at which they'll preview their performance at an international competition in The Netherlands this summer. The Southern Chorale is the premiere choral ensemble in the Fred and Dinah Gretsch School of Music at Georgia Southern University. It is comprised of a highly selective group of singers, and is called upon to represent the university at numerous occasions throughout the year. Recently, they were named the 6th Best Choir in the US by the university rating website collegerank.net. In addition to numerous campus and community performances, Southern Chorale has appeared at conferences of the National Collegiate Choral Organization, American Choral Directors Association, and National Association for Music Education. The choir won significant prizes in the Anton Bruckner International Choral Competition in Linz, Austria in 2013 and months later earned the highest score given in Sing ‘N’ Joy International Competition and Festival, winning the Spiritual Category. During the summer of 2016, Southern Chorale won the Grand Prize in the mixed category and the spirituals category at the Laurea Mundi, Budapest. This summer, they received Gold in the Ave Verum International Choral Competition in Baden, Austria and Level I Certificate in the International Chamber Choir Competition in Marktoberdorf, Germany. In the summer of 2025 they will compete in the CantaRode International Choral Festival in the Netherlands. The Southern Chorale is conducted by Dr. Shannon Jeffreys, Professor of Music in The Fred and Dinah Gretsch School of Music at Georgia Southern University. In addition to conducting the Southern Chorale and leading the choral program, Dr. Jeffreys maintains an active schedule as a presenter, adjudicator, lecturer, and guest conductor from secondary to collegiate institutions throughout the United States, and has led all-state choirs in several states. She serves as an international choral adjudicator with Meeting Music and on the faculty of Harmony University with Before coming to Georgia Southern, Jeffreys served as Director of Vocal Studies at Erskine College and Theological Seminary. She holds degrees in music performance and conducting from Birmingham Southern College, the University of Mississippi, and the University of South Carolina.