Neal E. Boyd joins Southeast Missouri Symphony Orchestra for special River Campus performance

First, Neal E. Boyd brought opera to mainstream America by winning "America's Got Talent." Next, the Sikeston, Mo., native will bring his star power to orchestra music.

A special one-night-only event at the River Campus will feature a symphonic pop concert by the Southeast Missouri Symphony Orchestra with Boyd as the special guest.

Dr. Sara Edgerton, the artistic director of the symphony orchestra, said the members are excited about performing with Boyd. She described him as a wonderful role model for students and community members who want to keep pursuing their musical interests.

Edgerton said the sold-out concert will consist of a variety of orchestral pieces and four songs from Boyd's album, "My American Dream," which was released in July.

"I think it's going to be a really nice balance," Edgerton said. "The thread that draws it all together is selections from musicals, but there will also be opera."

Edgerton said the concert will begin with an orchestral overture and then Boyd will sing "Nessun Dorma," the song he used to win "America's Got Talent." The orchestra will then play some songs from "West Side Story," and Boyd will sing "Somewhere" from the musical.

The concert will continue to mix performances between Boyd and the orchestra.

"His album is just beautiful, and we are looking forward to playing these pieces with him," Edgerton said.

Edgerton said the concert will take a different approach to orchestral music presentation to fit with the talents of Boyd.

"The style of this concert will be more popular selections that are short and light, rather than one large piece," Edgerton said.

She said she thought the overall feel of the concert would please audiences because it would be relaxed and easygoing, and people who weren't sure about orchestra music and opera wouldn't need to prepare themselves for a full-length one-piece concert.

The concert will mark Boyd's first performance on a River Campus stage. In a June interview with the Southeast Missourian, Boyd said he hoped he could plan a concert where he would be able to perform alongside the orchestra at the River Campus sometime near the holiday season.

University students and faculty as well as community members play in the Southeast Missouri Symphony Orchestra, now in its ninth year. Musicians audition and are accepted into the orchestra each year.

The orchestra usually holds five to six concerts a season and also travels abroad. In May, the orchestra traveled to China and performed a concert series, including a performance on the Great Wall near Beijing. The orchestra opened its current season Oct. 13 with a concert in the Bedell Performance Hall at the River Campus.

The concert with Boyd will be at 8 p.m. Feb. 5 in the Bedell. It is a special event and not a part of the regular subscription series offered by the River Campus.

The orchestra's next performance is scheduled for March 29 and 30. The orchestra, along with the University Choir and Choral Union, will return to tradition with the Easter Portion of "Messiah," a classic from Handel under the direction of Dr. Steven Hendricks.

Boyd's next stop will be in Las Vegas, where he is headlining a variety concert Feb. 14 at the Hilton Theater with three "America's Got Talent" finalists: Steve Bridges, Eli Matson and Queen Emily.