On Friday, January 17th, Norman North’s jazz choir is making its way to Tulsa for an experience of a lifetime. This talented group was selected by the OMEA (Oklahoma Music Educators Association) conference to perform their thoroughly prepared 30 minute set to directors and choir students from all around Oklahoma. This is a first for our jazz choir! OMEA is well known throughout the Oklahoma music program and is an amazing opportunity for students to showcase their talent. Mr. Ziegler’s choir will be the only jazz choir performing at the conference this year. The last time Norman North was selected to perform at this conference was 2012 with the chamber choir, and 2015 with the jazz band. The event is unmatched to what jazz choir has ever experienced. Only students who display outstanding talent reach this level of acknowledgment.

This is a huge honor for our Fine Arts program. Dr. Brad Benson, Director of Fine Arts for the district, said, “I am very proud of the NN Jazz Choir and Mr. Ziegler, and also of the groups from NHS as well. It is an honor to be selected from groups who apply from all across the state.  But it is an honor that they earn by working hard each day, and by raising the bar of excellence every day as well. OMEA is the Oklahoma State conference for music, so it is the pinnacle of what music education is and does. To work hard, to audition for, and to be selected as an OMEA Honor Group is to be among the Best of the Best. The audience there will not only be made up of supportive parents, administrators, and teachers it will also contain music teachers from all over the state as well as university professors and professional musicians. Considering all of the groups in Oklahoma, it is a major, major accomplishment to be selected and recognized as a State Honor Group – they serve as an example of excellence to teachers and programs around the state and beyond.”