Professional Life
J. Reese Norris (b. 1973) is a freelance composer, homesteader and custom furniture builder at Woodberry Farm in Havana, Florida.
Previously, Norris served as Director of Choral Activities at Northwest Mississippi Community College, Director of choirs at Hernando Middle School, and co-founder / co-artistic director of The MidSouth Music Institute, Inc. Mr. Norris received degrees from Delta State University and Florida State University.
Norris was the recipient of MMEA’s Music Educator of the Year, the Ernestine Ferrell Lifetime Achievement Award given by the Mississippi Chapter of ACDA, the Delta State University Music Alumnus of the Year and Educator of the Year Award. Norris has served in several leadership capacities for state-level NAfME and ACDA, and at the division level for ACDA.
Choirs under his direction have been selected to perform at Carnegie Hall, at the National Conference for Middle School Choirs, for the Alabama ACDA Summer Conference, three times for the Mississippi ACDA State Conference, twice for the ACDA Southern Division Conference, at the OAKE National Conference and at the ACDA National Conference. Norris has been honored to serve as guest clinician across the U.S.
As a composer, Norris has been commissioned by children, middle school, high school, university, church, and adult community choirs. Norris’ compositions have been performed in all-state choirs, at ACDA Conferences, in Carnegie Hall and across the globe. His compositions and arrangements are published by Santa Barbara, Lawson Gould, Colla Voce, G. Schirmer, and MusicSpoke.
Previously, Norris served as Director of Choral Activities at Northwest Mississippi Community College, Director of choirs at Hernando Middle School, and co-founder / co-artistic director of The MidSouth Music Institute, Inc. Mr. Norris received degrees from Delta State University and Florida State University.
Norris was the recipient of MMEA’s Music Educator of the Year, the Ernestine Ferrell Lifetime Achievement Award given by the Mississippi Chapter of ACDA, the Delta State University Music Alumnus of the Year and Educator of the Year Award. Norris has served in several leadership capacities for state-level NAfME and ACDA, and at the division level for ACDA.
Choirs under his direction have been selected to perform at Carnegie Hall, at the National Conference for Middle School Choirs, for the Alabama ACDA Summer Conference, three times for the Mississippi ACDA State Conference, twice for the ACDA Southern Division Conference, at the OAKE National Conference and at the ACDA National Conference. Norris has been honored to serve as guest clinician across the U.S.
As a composer, Norris has been commissioned by children, middle school, high school, university, church, and adult community choirs. Norris’ compositions have been performed in all-state choirs, at ACDA Conferences, in Carnegie Hall and across the globe. His compositions and arrangements are published by Santa Barbara, Lawson Gould, Colla Voce, G. Schirmer, and MusicSpoke.
PROFESSIONAL ENGAGEMENTS:
- Homesteader & Freelance Composer at Woodberry Farm in Havana, Florida
- Previous Director of Choral Activities, Northwest Mississippi Community College, hear an example here
- Previous Co-conductor, CoroRio - a community-based, advanced high school women's choral ensemble - hear an example here
- Previous Conductor, Mississippi River Chorale - a community-based adult choral ensemble - hear an example here
- Previous Conductor, ICTUS - an adult choral ensemble of professional musicians - hear an example here
- Previous Co-Artistic Director of the MidSouth Music Institute, Inc - read more about the organization here
- Previously director of choirs at Hernando Middle School Choirs in Hernando, MS - hear an example here
PREVIOUS GUEST ENGAGEMENTS:
- District Junior Honor Choir ~ Arlington, Virginia
- Men's Choir Day ~ Lafayette, Louisiana
- MTVA Tennessee Junior High Mass Choir ~ Nashville, Tennessee
- Alabama ACDA Young Voices Festival ~ Tuscaloosa, Alabama
- All-State Junior High Girls Choir ~ Greensboro, North Carolina
- All-State Junior High Mixed Choir ~ Spartanburg, South Carolina
- ACDA State Male Honor Choir ~ Orlando, Florida
- MMEA Summer Junior High Choir Camp ~ Morton, Mississippi
- District Junior High Honor Choir ~ Reston, Virginia
- Alabama Arts Week Choir Camp - Birmingham, AL
- Kentucky All-State Middle School Girls - Boling Green, KY
- St. Louis Suburban HS Honor Choir - St. Louis, MO
- Kansas NE Division Junior High Honor Choir - Kansas City, KS
- Savannah Sings! Men's Choir - Savannah, GA
- Cobb County GA Choral Clinic - Cobb County, GA
- Region 1 JH All-Region Choir AR - Jonesboro, AR
- Session Presentation, Missouri Music Educators Conference, Tan-Tar-A Retreat
- Kentucky KMEA JH Mixed All-State - Louisville, KY
- DCINY, Carnegie Hall - New York, NY
- Lafayette Parish JH Honor Choir - Lafayette, LA
- Hillsborough All-County Middle School Honors Chorus - Tampa, FL
- Session Workshop - ACDA National Conference - March 1, 2019
- Virginia JH Treble All-State - April 4-6, 2019
- NC Sings - October 4 & 5, 2019
- South Carolina JH Mixed All-State - October 11-12, 2019
- Mansfield University Men’s Day - October 25, 2019
- Session Presenter - Mansfield University October 25, 2021
- Louisiana JH Treble All-State - November 7-9, 2019
- Louisiana District VII Honor Choir - January 30-February 1, 2020
- Arkansas HS Treble All-State - February 20-22, 2020
- Session Presenter ~ 2019 Mississippi ACDA State Conference
- Session Presenter - 2019 National ACDA Conference
- Residency at Western Kentucky University October 2021
- Florida All-State Middle School Boys Choir 2021
- Teacher Clinician - Southern Invitational Choral Conference ~ October 2022
- Presenter - Chorister's Guild, Dallas ~ January, 2023
- Leon County, FSU Collegians Tenor/Bass Day ~ January, 2024