Over the Mountain Festivals

Begun in 2008 as an idea of a small group of individuals who believe in the importance and value of sacred choral music and who just wanted to sing some of the grand music that they hadn't sung in years, OTM Festivals was brought to fruition by the work of an all-volunteer planning committee along with support of friends and sponsors.

Our focus is three-fold. First is the singer in the small (or no) choir who may not have the opportunity, because of the limited number and talent level of singers in their choirs, to sing grand music on a grand scale. Next is the choir director of the small choir who wants to sing what they were trained to sing and to provide their choristers a place to sing under the baton of a well-known director and/or composer and to grow as musicians. Finally, we serve our community whom we have found hungering for the timeless music we present.

The first festival, Festival '09, was held Valentine's Day, February 14, 2009, at Bluff Park United Methodist Church in Birmingham. James A. Brown, Jr., Director of Music at Independent Presbyterian Church in Memphis, Tennessee, was the inaugural Guest Clinician.

Other directors include world-renown composer, K. Lee Scott and Dr. Timothy Paul Banks, former Samford University professor, conductor and composer.

Our chorus, averaging 75 in number, is a non-auditioned group representing nearly 50 different choral group from 5 states. An average of 500 people each year have enjoyed our Festivals of Sacred Music which have been accompanied by members of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra and Festival Organist, Jamie McLemore.

Please allow us to bring joy to your hearts at our next concert which will be held on Sunday afternoon, February 19, 2012 at 4:00 at Mountain Brook Baptist Church, 3631 Montevallo Road, Mountain Brook, AL 35213. The public is invited and the admission is free.

Please visit our website at www.otmfestivals.org.