From Carnegie Hall appearance to European tour, Everett shares Gospel through music

Celebrating with Beth Everett, left, after her Carnegie Hall conducting debut are Mary McDonald, center, composer, and Stephanie Busbea, dean of MC’s School of Christian Studies, Humanities and the Arts.

Taking the stage at world-famous Carnegie Hall as a guest conductor for the “This is Christmas!” concert on Dec. 1 in New York City was one of the most thrilling moments of Beth Everett’s professional career.

The MC assistant professor of music had twice appeared as a soloist in the renowned concert venue, but this performance presented a completely different set of challenges.

“It was an incredible honor to be there and to know that literally the finest musicians in the world have performed from that stage,” Everett said. “When you’re conducting, you’re at the helm of it all – you’re the captain of the ship. You’re guiding the whole performance.”

Everett was asked by her friend, Mary McDonald, a prominent American composer of church music who was making her final Carnegie Hall performance, to guest conduct her piece, “Gloria,” a festive Christmas choral anthem. Everett had to integrate about three dozen members of the Mississippi Chorus into a larger chorus of singers and, with McDonald herself on piano and a limited number of orchestra rehearsals, deliver a flawless piece.

“She (McDonald) wanted to write a setting of the Gloria text, which is all in Latin,” Everett said. “So, she wanted me to lend my academic expertise because she had not written a piece in Latin before.”

It was an assignment that would test the mettle of any conductor. Everett proved equal to the task.

“It was an amazing evening,” said Stephanie Busbea, dean of MC’s School of Christian Studies, Humanities and the Arts, who attended the performance. “We are so proud of Dr. Everett. The choir she conducted with over 200 voices was from all over the country.”

With that concert, Everett continued a tradition of MC Singers conductors appearing at Carnegie Hall: Each of the choral group’s six previous leaders had conducted on the famous stage. But Everett’s appearance represented just the beginning of the most challenging – and satisfying – month of her professional career.

The following day, she flew back to Mississippi College to prepare to conduct the MC Singers in their annual Festival of Lights performances Dec. 4-6. In Everett’s estimation, it was the choral ensemble’s finest Christmas concert to date.

“I was proud of the work our students did during rehearsal in my absence,” she said. “We had wonderful attendance, and we had some of the best congregational singing that we’ve ever had. That was a special moment for me.”

A week later, Everett led more than 30 members of MC Singers on a 10-day musical tour of Germany and Austria. The group performed selections from its Festival of Lights and Homecoming concerts in five different venues.

Traveling to the medieval city of Rothenburg, Germany, the MC Singers began their performance schedule at a Lutheran church older, perhaps, than the United States.

“The students sang a beautiful concert, and everyone was so grateful and appreciative of us performing in their town,” Everett said.

Following the conclusion of a special Mass in Munich, Germany, to bless those who work in healthcare or who were sick themselves, the MC Singers delivered a 20-minute concert in famed St. Michael’s Church.

“After that concert, a lady came up to me with tears in her eyes, letting me know how much she enjoyed the music,” Everett said.

The group crossed into Austria, where they sang in the Main Cathedral at Salzburg and as one of four choirs in an Advent Concert Series in a packed abbey church in Melk.

“To see that many people show up on a weekday afternoon to hear a concert was incredible,” Everett said.

The group’s final performance was in front of another full house at St. Peter’s Church in Vienna.

“People were extremely gracious and welcoming to us there,” Everett said. “I felt like that was one of our best concerts.”

Robert Knupp, MC professor of music who accompanied the group, said Everett has done an exceptional job building the MC Singers into a top collegiate ensemble.

“She has brought a renewed sense of energy and vitality to the choral program at MC,” Knupp said. “Not only did the Singers represent MC well, they moved audiences with their performances. I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to have this shared experience with this generation of MC Singers.”

As enjoyable as conducting her first European concert series was, Everett relished the opportunity to share the Gospel of Jesus through song – even if audiences didn’t speak English.

“I don't know how many people understood what we were singing, but I think they certainly felt the message and the power of the pieces,” Everett said. “Music is a gift from God, and we never know how we are impacting people, simply through the music that we sing.

“Sometimes music is the soul's own speech. We don't always know what words to say, but music helps us express what we need to express. We never know what lives we may have had the opportunity to impact just simply by showing up in those places in Europe and singing.”

Beth Everett has served on the faculty at Mississippi College since 2022. She serves as director of choral activities and oversees MC Singers. To learn more about MC’s music department, including information about upcoming events and degree programs, visit https://music.mc.edu/.

Author’s note: This story is the first in a series of stories highlighting exceptional faculty members at MC. If you have an inspiring story about an MC faculty member, share it with us by emailing pr@mc.edu.