FORT WORTH, TEXAS (April 14 2025) – In March, Singing Girls of Texas (SGT) traveled through Arkansas, Tennessee, and Georgia on their spring concert tour.
Singing Girls of Texas was established in 2001 as a sister organization to the renowned Grammy award-winning Texas Boys Choir (TBC). This world-class girls’ choir is open to young women in grades 7-12. It is an educational and performance institution that provides a structured environment to learn the fundamentals of elite, vocal performance. SGT’s program provides its members with educational and professional musical opportunities, fostering both personal and professional development. Their mission is to develop personal excellence and inspire a lifelong passion for music and choral artistry.
“Getting to go on tour to the Great Smoky Mountains with SGT has been such a privilege. The music that we get to share with people all over the nation not only impacts our audience but allows each of us to connect with our passion to sing.”- Embry Stringer, SGT Senior
Each spring, SGT organizes a tour to showcase their performances to new audiences. These singers get to engage in collaborations with other choirs and deepen their understanding of music and the art of ensemble singing. In March, our students embarked on a journey east for a Great Smokies Tour, which included stops in Arkansas, Tennessee, and Georgia. This tour provided a rich experience, allowing the team to work alongside the Ouachita Baptist University (OBU) Choir and the White Station Treble Choir. The OBU Choir is one of the Ensembles at OBU where students earn academic credit through choir classes, engage in performances, record their music, and embark on independent tours. The choirs at White Station High School represent a distinguished choral program in Memphis, TN, recognized for their excellence. They focus on a diverse range of musical genres, perform nationwide, and have achieved numerous accolades in competitions, securing top honors at various regional festivals.
Each year, the Spring tour provides these singers with the chance to connect and work with their counterparts while also experiencing the thrill of being on a traveling tour. In addition, it’s a priority to give the girls the opportunity to engage with music and choral specialists who can impart their knowledge and passion with the team, inspiring a deeper enthusiasm for their art. During the Great Smokies Tour, the singers took part in two workshops led by a distinguished educator and an acclaimed composer. The initial clinic featured Dr. Korre Foster, the recipient of the Socrates Award, who teaches at Austin Peay State University. Dr. Foster holds the position of Associate Professor and Director of Choral Activities and conducts both the Chamber Singers and the University Choir. Furthermore, he instructs courses in conducting, choral literature, and music education. The second clinic was with Dr. B.E. Boykin (Brittney Boykin), a native of Alexandria, Virginia who comes from a musical family. Dr. Boykin is a composer, conductor, and classically trained pianist. She is a graduate of Westminster Choir College of Rider University, holding a Master of Music in Sacred Music with a concentration on choral studies and a PhD graduate from Georgia State University, specializing in Music Education. She is presently an Assistant Professor of Music at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
“SGT Tour had an outstanding experience on our Great Smokies Tour. The hospitality of our hosts and the responsiveness of our concert attendees made us feel welcome at every stop along the way. We can’t wait to see what collaborations we can create in the future.”– Jackson Hill, SGT Artistic Director
Upon arriving in Arkansas, the team kicked off their visit with an exchange at OBU and a compelling performance at the McBeth Recital Hall, renowned as one of the premier recital venues in the area. They proceeded to Tennessee where they took a brief pause in Memphis at the Elvis Presley Exhibits before meeting with the acclaimed White Station Treble Choir. The two choirs performed together at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church. The tour continued to Nashville, performing in a Brentwood United Methodist Church service and then exploring the arts at the Tennessee State Museum. The following day was dedicated to an immersive experience in musical history, featuring a tour of RCA Studio B and the Country Music Hall of Fame, where SGT performed. This was followed by a clinic with Dr. Korre Foster on Vanderbilt University’s campus. And on their last planned day in Tennessee, SGT visited Pigeon Forge’s leading entertainment district, The Island, where they had a delightful experience at the base of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. They explored the area and concluded the afternoon with a spectacular show at one of the local venues. Their final destination on the tour was Atlanta, here they collaborated with the Upper Chorus of Holy Innocents Episcopal School, visited and performed at the Georgia Aquarium, and participated in a clinic led by composer, Dr. B.E. Boykin.
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ABOUT SINGING GIRLS OF TEXAS
Founded in 2001 as a sibling organization to the Grammy award-winning Texas Boys Choir, Singing Girls of Texas (SGT) is a premier, treble program within Texas Center for Arts + Academics (TCA+A). Singers in SGT’s Training Choir, Chamber Choir, and Tour Choir attend school and rehearse at the public, charter school, Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts (FWAFA). Once a singer is accepted into FWAFA, they can audition for SGT Training beginning in 7th grade. Tour Choir is an advanced performance-based ensemble that gives high-quality concerts on regional, national, and international tours. SGT and respective members have received superior accolades from University Interscholastic League (UIL) Concert, Sight-Reading Contest, and District and State Solo and Ensemble Contest. They have performed at National and Regional American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) conferences and have received superior ratings at National Associate for Teachers of Singing (NATS) contests.
ABOUT TEXAS CENTER FOR ARTS + ACADEMICS
Texas Center for Arts + Academics (TCA+A) is a 501c3 nonprofit with a mission to inspire and empower students with a lifelong passion for learning, academic achievement, and artistic excellence. TCA+A manages two public charter schools, Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts and Texas School of the Arts, three premier choirs, and after-school conservatory programs that provide a vast array of professional training in Dance, Music, Theatre, and Visual Art. TCA+A is located in the creative hub of Fort Worth, Texas with more than 1,000 youth enrolled in its schools, conservatories, and summer programs annually. To help make programs like SGT’s Great Smokies Tour possible, please consider a donation at artsacademics.org.
TICKETS:
SGT’s spring concert, Hearts of Gold, will be held April 29, 2025, at Broadway Baptist Church, 305 W. Broadway Ave, Fort Worth, TX 76104. https://www.artsacademics.org/calendar/
MORE INFO:
Keep track of SGT and all the amazing things happening at Texas Center for Arts + Academics’ schools, Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts and Texas School of Arts, by following us on social media Facebook: @texascenterforartsacademics @fortworthacademyoffinearts
MEDIA INQUIRIES:
Flor D. Cabrera | Director of Marketing and Communications | Texas Center for Arts + Academics flor.cabrera@artsacademics.org | 817.766.2390 (ext113)