University Bands

Become an active part of one of the finest college band programs in the nation! The Pride of Mississippi Marching Band, the Wind Ensemble, the Symphonic Winds, the Concert Band, Jazz Lab I and II, and a host of other performing organizations provide a wide variety of musical experiences that are second to none.  In addition, the Dixie Darlings, Pride Guard, and Pride Drumline share with The Pride of Mississippi Marching Band a reputation as Southern Miss’ finest!

Choral Activities

Choral Activities at Southern Miss offers a variety of excellent singing opportunities. Our major ensembles, Southern Chorale, Concert Choir, and University Singers, serve the curriculum of all degrees with a voice emphasis, and welcome non-major participation. We have two community groups, the Hattiesburg Choral Union, our orchestral chorus, and the Gulf Coast Civic Chorale, an extension of our Long Beach campus. Both ensembles are open to all students and community members. Our Vocal Jazz program is still relatively new, but expanding each year with new performance opportunities and equipment.

We also offer events each year. Our Southern Invitational Choral Conference (SICC) is always the last Monday and Tuesday of September. Choral students and teachers from the entire Gulf Coast region descend on Hattiesburg for two days of music making and excitement. Many concerts are scheduled each year exploring many venues in the area and many styles of music ranging from fine art to popular. Choral Activities is also committed to regular opportunities for travel. Regional, national, and international travel opportunities are available almost every year. Finally, Scholarship Audition Days are scheduled in the fall and spring for prospective students. Music majors and non-music majors are eligible for these Choral Service Awards. Please make plans to visit us.

Jazz Studies

The jazz studies program at The University of Southern Mississippi has been in existence for nearly 40 years. Its ensembles include two big bands, and six to eight combos of various shapes and sizes including the award winning Southern Miss Jazz Sextet and Hub Bones. Among the notable guest artists who have performed with the Jazz Lab Band I are Ira Sullivan, Bob Berg, John Fedchock, Ellis Marsalis, Jeff Coffin, Russ Nolan, Jovino Santos Neto, and many more.

The program's course offerings help students develop a foundation in improvisation, theory, arranging, and history. Most of the courses offered are open to non-jazz majors with the instructor's permission.

Music Education

Music Education has been the driving force in the south-eastern United States since the early years of The Pride of Mississippi Marching Band in the 1940's. Dr. Raymond Mannoni assembled a nationally recognized School of Music that, through education and performances, prepared decades of some of our country's finest music educators. Dr. Mannoni's leadership lead to the expansion of music that currently includes student and faculty major performing ensembles such as The Symphony Orchestra, The Southern Chorale, The Wind Ensemble and The Symphonic Winds, Southern Arts Faculty Brass Quintet, Category 5 Faculty Woodwind Quintet.

For more than sixty years, music education and performance have been at the heart of the university's first nationally accredited program. Those traditions and expectations continue to thrive in the hearts and minds of the students and faculty in the School of Music at The University of Southern Mississippi.

USM Symphony Orchestra

The Southern Mississippi Symphony Orchestra at The University of Southern Mississippi is the oldest orchestra in Mississippi. Established in 1920, it has been under the direction of music director Jay Dean since 1988. The orchestra is a well-established musical leader in the state and region and has performed with internationally known classical icons such as Plácido Domingo, Itzhak Perlman, Yo-Yo Ma, and Sir James Galway, to popular celebrities including Patti LaBelle, Doc Severinsen, Ray Charles, and countless others. The symphony regularly performs to sold-out houses with audience
members representing a diverse cross-section of the southeastern United States.

Southern Opera & Musical Theatre Co.

Southern Opera and Musical Theatre Company performs two fully staged productions each year with orchestra. In addition, SOMTC has an educational outreach program performing music from both opera and musical theatre genres. Opera and Musical Theatre scenes programs, workshop training in acting and audition preparation and an opera musical theatre gala enhance the educational and performance experience of both student and audience.