Southeast Missouri Symphony Orchestra opens season with vocalist Judith Farris

For Judith Farris, life has come full circle.

The New York voice coach who learned how to sing at Southeast Missouri State University before going off to pursue her dreams has returned home for more than just a brief stay.

She's come back to live, at least for a while, in the town that showed her how to use her vocal talent, and to teach at the university where she learned her skills.

"You hear about people coming back home a lot, but when you're part of it it takes on a whole new dimension," said Farris. "It's good to do that while I can still walk."

When the Southeast Missouri Symphony Orchestra opens its season Tuesday night at 8:30 p.m. with a concert titled "Encore! with Judith Farris," (co-sponsored by the Southeast Missourian) it will be her first performance as a Southeast faculty member and her first time singing selections from Broadway tunes.

The orchestra's opening night of the 2005-2006 season will consist of a two-part show. The first half will be made up of music from 20th century French composers, including the famous "Bolero" by Ravel, and the second half made up of Broadway showtunes from Stephen Sondheim and Rodgers and Hammerstein, some with Farris on vocals, some with the orchestra only.

"This is kind of a first to have an entire half of the program that's going to be devoted to Broadway music," said orchestra conductor Dr. Sara Edgerton.

The Broadway selections were Farris' idea, said Edgerton. Farris has coached many actors in Broadway-style singing (including the cast of last year's "Guys and Dolls" at Southeast) and wanted the chance to perform those numbers on stage herself, instead of opera.

"I thought it would be easier to sing Broadway," Farris said. "Alas, it's not."

Last year Farris performed with the orchestra, singing opera pieces in a show that was postponed a day because a squirrel shorted out power on the Southeast campus.

Barring any such mishaps this year, Tuesday's show will give a broader audience a chance to see the singer in action with music more accessible than opera, and a chance to get acquainted with the orchestra.

"We hope that the entire season will be appealing, and what we try to do is offer a very broad range of musical styles, because the the symphony orchestra can shine in all kinds of ways," said Edgerton. "We hope this concert will bring in people who haven't seen the symphony orchestra before."

Farris said her performance is part personal satisfaction, part raising the profile of the symphony orchestra and arts in the community in general. She said she knows the hard work that goes into preparing for a concert, and the pain of playing to empty seats, and doesn't want that to happen to the orchestra.

The orchestra is ready, if nature will cooperate.

"We're just hoping the squirrels have done all their nut gathering," said Edgerton.

The orchestra's next concert will Oct. 25, when Dr. Gary Miller performs Poulenc's Organ Concerto at Old St. Vincent's Church.

msanders@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182