Our story
The founding members later met Miriam and Lowell Bylar at St. Luke’s Methodist Church, where Miriam herself was the staff accompanist, and Lowell, the choir director.
The first official Jackson Choral Society concert was held on November 26, 1961 in the War Memorial Building in Jackson, MS. The well attended concert featured Mendelssohn’s Hymn of Praise. Today, the Jackson Choral Society is a non-profit, non-auditioned organization of volunteer professional musicians, music lovers, and anyone else who enjoys singing.
The Jackson Choral Society has served the metropolitan Jackson area for the last sixty years with over 106 concerts, providing imaginative programs of quality musical literature. The Jackson Choral Society has collaborated with several music groups in Jackson, including the Mississippi Chorus, Mississippi Opera and the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra. The Jackson Choral Society has also toured Europe on three occasions.
Meet The Director
Artistic Director
Dr. Bobby G. Helms
Dr. Bobby G. Helms is a Georgia native and accomplished music educator, conductor, and arts leader with more than 24 years of teaching experience spanning elementary through college levels. He holds degrees from Georgia Southwestern College, Valdosta State University, Georgia Southern University, Auburn University, and The University of Southern Mississippi, where he earned the DMA in Choral Conducting.
He currently serves as Director of Choral Activities and Theatre at Copiah-Lincoln Community College, Artistic Director of the Mississippi Boychoir, and Director of the Lincoln County Choral Society. Dr. Helms is an active clinician and presenter at regional, state, and national conferences and has led ensembles selected for prestigious performances across the country.
A recognized leader in music education, he serves as Mississippi State Elementary Honor Choir Co-Chair and a national board member for NCCO. He was named a 2025 Quarterfinalist for the Grammy Music Educator Award and a 2026 Grammy Legacy member. In May 2026, he made his Carnegie Hall debut conducting the world premiere of To Truly Love by Sherry Blevins and Raphael Fusco.
