OUR HISTORY
Rocky Mount's Premier Children's Chorus
The Tar River Children's Chorus was established in 1991 as a branch of the Tar River Choral and
Orchestral Society, Inc., of Rocky Mount, NC. The Children's Chorus consists this year of
Cantare, the training chorus for 3rd through 6th grades, and Concert Chorus, for treble voices
in 7th through 12th grades. They perform classic children's choir repertoire, spirituals, folk songs,
opera and even pop classics.
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The Chorus has performed with the Tar River Orchestra and Chorus in Benjamin Britten's
opera, Noye's Fludde, Faure's Requiem, excerpts of Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel,
Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker, an All-Mozart program, and a Spiritual and Gospel Extravaganza. They
have appeared often on the Orchestra programs and the Pops Concerts.
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The chorus has been featured as part of North Carolina Governor Hunt's Second Inaugural Celebration, the
Governor's Volunteer recognition, N.C. Special Olympics Opening Ceremonies, the Convention of the Music
Educators of North Carolina and the Southeast Regional Conference of the Delta Gamma International
Teachers' Society. They have appeared on shows with celebrities Pat Boone and Chrystal Gayle.
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The Tar River Children's Chorus has participated in many choral festivals and competitions in
North Carolina, Virginia, Philadelphia and New York City. The choruses were five times rated
as the top elementary and high school choirs at Music in the Park. Spring of 2015 and 2016, the
TRCC Concert Chorus received the highest score of all choruses and ensembles participating in
MITP. They were awarded 3 gold (superior) ratings and the Festival Spirit Award for well
representing our community at the Heritage Music Festival at NYC's Riverside Church in the spring
of 2013. In the spring of 2018, Concert Chorus and the High school Ensemble won their
divisional categories with Gold Ratings at the Heritage Festival, again in NYC. The High School
Ensemble won the Adjudicator’s Choice Award. Also in 2018, Cantare received the second-
highest score and won highest elementary chorus at Busch Gardens Music in the Parks festival.
In 2019 and 2022, all groups won First Place in their respective divisions at Music In The Parks
with Superior and Excellent scores.
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The TRCC has given concerts at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC, Riverside
Church in New York City, Bruton Parish Church in historic Williamsburg, Philadelphia's
Church of the Holy Trinity, Charleston's Piccolo Spoleto, and the Biltmore House at
Christmas. The children had their national debut in 1996 on the CBS Morning Show.
Our accompanist, Gloriane Jefferys, a native of the greater Philadelphia area, comes to us by
way of Greenville, South Carolina, where she studied piano and voice at Bob Jones
University, earning both her BMus and MMus in voice. She currently resides in Spring Hope with
her husband, Matt, and daughter, Olivia. Gloriane serves as full-time Music Teacher at Faith
Christian School.
The TRCC has been under the direction of Patsy Gilliland since 1993. Patsy, who is a Meredith
College graduate, has her Master of Music degree from Indiana University, has sung
professionally on four continents, and is a former Miss North Carolina. As a member of the
National Association of Teachers of Singing, Patsy maintains a private voice studio in Rocky
Mount. In 2016, she was named to the Twin County Hall of Fame.