The Mount St. Mary Academy Concert Belles received one of the highest overall scores among all small ensembles at the Arkansas Choral Director Association’s 2025 State Festival in Conway on Thursday, April 10, which tied them for first place in the state in their size classification. Additionally, the talented group earned another Division I - Superior plaque to add to their already crowded wall of awards as well as honors for 6A Best Overall Ensemble and 6A Best in Class Treble Small Ensemble.
The highest score possible at the event is 100. The Concert Belles received three superior ratings: 96, 95 and 90. Comments from this year’s judges included high praise of the group, such as: “Wow! Beautifully tuned.” “Your balance is stunning.” “Top-notch quality.” “Accuracy is off the charts!” and “Extremely powerful.”
“It’s been an honor to continue the rich tradition of musical excellence established at Mount St. Mary Academy,” said Marcia McConkie, first-year choral director at MSM. “Chelsea Allman laid an incredible foundation, and I’m truly grateful for the dedication and heart she brought to this program. From the very beginning, I was impressed by the knowledge, talent and strong work ethic these students brought to the table. Because of that, I was able to really focus this year on refining musicianship – working on tuning, blend, balance and the overall artistry of our performance. I challenged them with complex and meaningful repertoire, and they surpassed my expectations.”
A total of 136 of Arkansas’ most talented choirs, including 26 6A choirs, competed in this year’s State Festival. The Concert Belles qualified for the event by receiving top ratings at their region’s annual Choral Performance Assessment earlier in March. They earned the 2025 Sweepstakes Award for receiving superior ratings at both the regional and statewide competitions, an honor that only a little over half of this year’s 136 State Festival participants achieved.
“Together, we built something really special,” Mrs. McConkie added. “We bonded as an ensemble and created memories that will last well beyond the stage. I’m so proud to see these students getting the recognition they so richly deserve.”
This year’s Concert Belles included: Kylie Byrne ’25, Rachel Dam ’27, Maria Ezzi ’26, Mary Kate Finch ’25, Alexis Holley ’27, Maya Johnson ’25, Reese Kollar ’26, Perrin Kuhn ’26, Isabella Nguyen ’25 and Abby Wideman ’26. The ensemble was accompanied by Amelia Byers ’26 on the violin and Bob Bidewell on the piano.
With the State Festival behind them, the Concert Belles are gearing up for their annual Spring Concert, which will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 29, in the Hall of Cathedral of St. Andrew in Little Rock. Admission is free and open to the public.
