Retiring choral director Beck honored by state legislature

From left: Horn Lake High School principal Nick Toungett, Holly Beck, and State Rep. Dan Eubanks. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)

As she retires as Director of Choral Music at Horn Lake High School, part of Friday evening’s choir banquet at the school for Holly Beck was to celebrate her students’ accolades and achievements of this year’s choir, one of most highly-regarded high school music organizations in DeSoto County.  

However, the first award on Friday was presented to Beck herself and it came as a complete surprise to her.

During the 2025 legislative session, the Mississippi House of Representatives passed House Resolution 129, recognizing Beck’s 28-year career leading vocalists to countless recognitions, visits and concerts at places such as St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York, singing in collaborations with the British a cappella ensemble VOCES8 in London, and performing inside the Mississippi State Capitol.  

Accolades include Beck receiving the Ernestine Ferrell Award for Excellence in Choral Music in 2022, the highest honor for a music educator in Mississippi.

State Rep. Dan Eubanks (R-Walls) introduced the resolution in the House during the session and Friday was at the banquet to make the surprise presentation.  

Eubanks said he remembered hearing the choir sing for the Winn & Annie Ruth Brown Veterans Breakfast and Program last November. He had heard the group sing for the event the past 10 years and last November first heard that Beck had plans to retire at the end of the school year.  

“You guys have been such an integral part (of the program),” Eubanks said about the choir.  “Miss Holly and this amazing choir do such a fantastic job honoring our local heroes and our veterans and I thought, ‘it’s just not going to be the same.’”

Eubanks added, “The Legislature honors and recognizes outstanding Mississippians that bring honor and recognition to our state, or to honor Mississippians that have have had a real dedicated part of service to state agencies and local agencies, or Mississippians that have made the state better by pouring into investing in other Mississippians and just overall good people. Miss Holly, I think you check all those boxes.”

Text of the resolution is found on the Mississippi Legislature website.