J.D. Frizzell, a composer, conductor, and baritone, is the Director of Choirs at Briarcrest. He earned the double Master's in Music Theory/Composition and Conducting from The University of Southern Mississippi, where he also earned the bachelor's degree in Music History and Literature.
His responsibilities at Briarcrest include teaching the Concert Choir, Honors Chamber Singers, OneVoice, and AP Music Theory. In addition, Mr. Frizzell teaches private voice and piano and directs the praise band. He oversees and directs a handbell program from K-12.
Mr. Frizzell, winner of the 2007 Intégrales Composition Contest, writes music for choir, orchestra, symphonic band, voice, handbells, chamber ensembles, and solo instruments. His handbell music is currently available through Red River Music, AGEHR, Choristers Guild, and Ring-Press, and his choral music is available through Sapience Music Publishing.
He conducted many choirs at Southern Miss, including the Southern Chorale, the Concert Choir, the University Singers, the Southern Chamber Singers, and the Vocal Jazz Ensemble. In addition, Mr. Frizzell has served as music director in United Methodist Churches in Ellisville and Gulfport, MS. He has also been the artistic director of the professional choir The Voices of Tomorrow. In addition, Mr. Frizzell appears regularly as a clinician and presenter in both choral and handbell settings.
Other accomplishments include being Southern Miss' 2003 Theodore Presser Scholar, a Southern Miss Leadership Scholar, and a recipient of the Kathryn Sweatman Page Endowment. Published research topics include the compositional process and the music of Igor Stravinsky. The Gwinnett Daily Post featured his Mass in C on the front page of their Lifestyles section.
Also active as a vocal soloist, Mr. Frizzell has appeared with the Mississippi Symphony, the Gwinnett Symphony, many choirs at Southern Miss, the Voices of Tomorrow, and the Sanctuary Choir at First Prebsyterian Church. In 2003, he was the 4th place winner in the Southern Region of the National Association of Teachers of Singing Competition.
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