Southeast Missouri orchestra will present 'New World'

The Southeast Missouri Symphony Orchestra will return after its winter hiatus with a concert Tuesday at 8 p.m. in Academic Auditorium on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University.

The show will feature the Antonin Dvorak masterpiece, "From the New World," and performances by student soloists Brad Long on saxophone and Kyle Miller on viola, each of whom earned the honor by winning Southeast's concerto and aria competition.

Symphony director Dr. Sara Edgerton said the concert promises to be one that most music fans can enjoy with the familiar sounds of the Dvorak work.

"This symphony kind of sums up his exposure to spirituals and American folk tunes that he heard," said Edgerton. "It's a little sad, too, you feel a little homesick in this symphony. But it's a beautiful work, the melodies are so beautiful in it and it's really well known and it's a very beautiful piece."

Dvorak wrote "From the New World" as his last symphony in 1893 after an extended stay in the United States. The orchestra played the work several years ago, said Edgerton, and it's back by popular demand.

"The students were wanting it and the audiences were wanting it, so everybody wanted to hear it," she said.

Edgerton promises that even those not very familiar with symphony music will hear some parts of the Dvorak work that are recognizable.

In addition to "From the New World," Long will show off his talents on "Concerto for Saxophone and Strings" by Russian composer Alexander Glazunov and Miller will serenade the audience on "Suite Hebraique for Viola and Orchestra" by Swiss-born composer Ernest Bloch.

"I think people will especially enjoy the viola and the alto sax," Edgerton said. "They're not so often featured on stage with a classical symphony orchestra, so that's nice to hear them."

Also featured will be "Hungarian Dance" by Johannes Brahms, which opens the show on an upbeat note.

The concert will last about 90 minutes with intermission. The symphony will also put on a program Monday morning for students in fourth, fifth and sixth grades at Cape Girardeau's public schools. Edgerton said there will be about 900 students in all.

"A lot of parents will hopefully have children come home and say 'Oh, I heard the symphony orchestra,'" Edgerton said, "so they can come and hear us the next night and see what it's all about."

Tickets are available at the Performing Arts Box Office at Southeast by calling 651-2265.

msanders@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182