Greeneville High School will host the East Tennessee Vocal Association (ETVA) All-East Chorus this Thursday through Saturday, Nov. 19-21.

The event will bring top vocal students from East Tennessee's high schools and middle schools for two-days of rehearsal, culminating with a concert performance on Saturday afternoon.

Concert rehearsals for the estimated 500 students will take place at First Baptist Church, Cumberland Presbyterian Church, First Presbyterian Church, as well as GHS, and the Niswonger Performing Arts Center (NPAC).

The "grand finale" concert will be held at NPAC, beginning at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 21.

The concert is open to the public, though seating and parking will be at a premium.

GHS Choral director, Kathryn E. May said, "We are very grateful to the Greeneville City School System, the GHS Chorus Boosters, the local churches, the area hotels and restaurants, and to Darrell Bryan and the NPAC staff for working with us to bring this event to fruition."

May added, "Its a great honor to host ETVA All-East and to be able to offer such wonderful accommodations and top-rated venues to the guest students, directors and clinicians. We are really proud to be able to showcase the town of Greeneville."

All vocal students who participate in All-East win the honor to do so after spending several weeks in special rehearsals, passing rigorous auditions and screenings.

Vocalists will be divided into five choirs: middle school (mixed voices), ninth-grade (mixed voices), and 10th, 11th and l2th graders in women's, men's and mixed voices.

The first time GHS hosted this event was in November 2006.

Traditionally, Greeneville High School has been well represented in the All-East event. This year is no exception.

Nineteen GHS students have advanced to All-East. Additionally, 11 ninth-graders from GHS and 10 Greeneville Middle School students have been selected to participate in the Freshman Honors Choir, and Middle School Honors Choir, respectively.

Each year the ETVA gathers esteemed clinicians from all over the country to direct the students in rehearsal and ultimately, in their concert performance.

This year's guest clinicians include: Director of Choral Activities at Brewton Parker College in Mount Vernon, Ga., Dr. Sonya Sepulvea; Dr. Willima Caldwell, adjunct professor of music at Belmont University in Nashville; Joseph Martin, director of Sacred Publications at Shawnee Press in Nashville; Laura Ritter, director of choral activities at Walters State Community College; and Dr. Tim Hendrickson, director of choral activities at Delta College in University Center, Mich.

All-East vocal students with exceptionally high scores will advance to All-State in Nashville featuring the "best of the best" vocal students in Tennessee.

That event will take place in April 2010 in the War Memorial Auditorium in Nashville.

The first time GHS hosted this event was in November 2006.