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10Carra Purvis
MSO Executive Director
Things You Don ’ t Know About Me
In January 2020 , Carra Purvis was named the new Executive Director of the Meridian Symphony . Three months later , COVID-19 hit and changed the landscape of the arts world forever .
Although Purvis ’ start at the 61-year strong organization may not have been the one she imagined , it did not deter her from making it any less impactful for the city of Meridian . In the past two and a half years , The Meridian Symphony Association has evolved — rebranding , opening a new downtown office , celebrating its 60th anniversary , adding a new concert series and online platform , expanding its educational programming , initiating innovative new programs and partnerships , and more than doubling its annual budget .
Full-steam ahead is nothing new to Purvis . She moved with her family to Meridian after serving as a director at The Augusta Symphony in Georgia , where she helped to raise millions of dollars and worked for years with her team to give their orchestra a permanent home through the restoration of the historic Miller Theater in downtown Augusta .
Purvis and her husband Bob , a local artist and a minister in Clarke County , have been married 25 years . They have two daughters :
Sophia , a returning sophomore at Ole Miss , and Vallie , who will start middle school this fall at Lamar . Here are a few more things you may not know about Purvis : 1 . I come from a huge family of musicians . Just about everyone on my mom ’ s side is ridiculously talented . I ’ m in awe of the natural talent they have . 2 . My music degree is in vocal performance . Yes , I sing . I sing constantly . When I ’ m not singing , I ’ m humming . It drives my family crazy ! I can ’ t help myself . I ’ m always making sound . I don ’ t even realize I ’ m doing it .
3 . I ’ m also a classically trained ballerina . I love ( d ) to dance . I was dancing professionally in my early 20s until an accident in rehearsal caused a knee injury that I was never quite able to recover from . I still enjoy dance for fun , though — tap , jazz , ballet , contemporary , and even a little ballroom . 4 . I love art ( and my husband is a fabulous artist ), but I can ’ t draw a stick figure and make it look good . 5 . I lived in Seattle , Washington , for many years and loved it ! Most people think I ’ m crazy , but I love a good cloudy , misty day . This crazy hot , humid Southern Mississippi sunshine is tough on me :)
6 . I have gnarly feet . Years of dance have left my feet a wreck . I ’ m so self-conscious about them ! I can ’ t believe I ’ m even saying anything about it , because now I ’ m going to be paranoid that everyone is looking at my weird feet . I have to work hard at making them the least bit flip-flop worthy in the summer . The rest of the year I just hide them in boots .
7 . Before I caved and followed in my family ’ s musical footsteps , I had dreams of becoming a lawyer . I have a pre-law degree , did a short stint as an intern in Washington , D . C ., and was accepted to Harvard . Extenuating circumstances brought me back home and sent me on my journey into the world of nonprofits .
8 . I am an advocate for victims of domestic violence . The work that I have been a part of at domestic violence shelters and through victim ’ s support services has been some of the most rewarding I have ever been a part of . Please support your local services : carelodge . com
9 . I LOVE historic preservation ! I believe something old can be made new again . It doesn ’ t have to be torn down just because it ’ s old . There is so much rich history inside the walls of our buildings — they can tell us so much . They can help inform and shape our future . I have loved the historic preservation projects that I have been fortunate to be a part of in the past , and I look forward to more in the future . There is so much gorgeous history to preserve here in Meridian !
10 . I am a complete anglophile . I love British television , the culture , the accents , and the countryside . It ’ s ridiculous ! I dream of living in a thatched-roof cottage in the British countryside , baking bread , and riding a bicycle through the rolling hills . I visited England while on a choir tour in college . We did have some sunshine , but for the most part it was grey and chilly . It was glorious ! HA !
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