The Bibb County Boy Choir, 1979-1983

The Bibb County Boy Choir during rehearsal, held twice a week in the Dudley Hughes building in Macon

Who remembers that Macon once had its own boy choir? It was based on the idea of the famous Vienna Boy Choir, and was established in 1979 by Bibb County music teachers Mary Ann Harrell and Ann McElroy, who also served as its director.

The Bibb County Boy Choir recording a Christmas show at the studios of Channel 13, WMAZ

These images document the Bibb County Boy Choir, which was made up solely of public school students between the ages of 8 and 13 whose voices had not yet changed and who auditioned and were accepted into the choir. The music presented to audiences was a mixture of sacred, musical, popular, and Christmas numbers. The choir performed all over Macon at various events, and even participated in Carl Orff's Carmina Burana when it was performed at Macon's Grand Opera House around 1981.

The Bibb County Boy Choir singing at Macon's annual Christmas tree lighting on the steps of city hall

Sadly there are no dates on these clippings, but they were from the Macon News and/or the Macon Telegraph. These photos would have been taken between 1979 and 1983, the five-year period when the choir was in existence. Almost but not quite 50 years old, so not that far from being considered historic. Kindly shared from a BCBC member's scrapbook.

The Bibb County Boy Choir performing for the local school system employees on Roff Avenue in Macon

The Bibb County Boy Choir performing at St. Joseph's Catholic Church