Sophomore soloist featured at symphony orchestra concert

The stage at the Southeast Missouri Symphony Orchestra's annual concert featuring Southeast Missouri State University music students is usually reserved for seniors.

But this year, there's an oddity.

When the symphony orchestra takes the stage Tuesday night at Academic Auditorium for its "Symphonic Splendors" concert, a sophomore -- Candice Summers -- will be one of the three featured student soloists.

The concert is the symphony orchestra's annual showcase for students who won the university's annual concerto competition. Summers will perform Mozart's Andante in C Major, while senior cellist John Mazar will perform the Cello Concerto No. 1 by Camille Saint-Saens and senior trombonist Vincent Rapini will perform the Trombone Concerto by Gordon Jacob.

The concert will also feature performances by the full orchestra: Symphony No. 3 by Roy Harris, Mozart's "Jupiter" Symphony and the music for Shakespeare's "Henry V" composed by William Walton.

Paul Thompson directed (Fred Lynch)

"For me it was kind of exciting, because it's mostly a seniors competition," Summers said. "It was just exciting because it wasn't expected."

Students ask their principal teachers at the start of the school year to help them prepare a concerto, which they then present to the music faculty in the concerto competition. Vocal students have a similar competition, the aria competition.

Summers studies under Paul Thompson, who will serve as special guest conductor for the concert. The symphony orchestra's usual conductor, Sara Edgerton, Thompson's wife, is on sabbatical. Featuring student contest winners was originally Edgerton's idea in her post as artistic director of the symphony orchestra, said Thompson.

Students rarely get the chance to solo in front of a symphony orchestra, Thompson said.

"This is something Sara started about 10 to 12 years ago as a means of motivating students even more, and also as a way of giving our very best students the opportunity to play before and audience on stage," Thompson said.

Summers' selection is based on merit, not on her ties to the conductor. Thompson was not part of the judging for her concerto competition.

The sophomore flutist also studies under Mark Sparks, the principal flutist for the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.

For Summers, Tuesday night's concert is the payoff from hours and hours spent perfecting her craft.

"I practice way more than I sleep," Summers said. She practices six hours per day and performs with a variety of ensembles associated with the university.

She'll also be featured at the upcoming Sundays at Three concert March 11, where she'll solo on a piece composed by Rhonda Larson.

Summers calls experiences like the symphony orchestra performance and Sundays at Three "priceless."

"Especially if you're a performance major like myself, because that's what I want to do with my whole life," Summers said.

msanders@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182