Sounds of symphony

Everybody likes a little sneak peek, right?

The Symphony Sampler at the River Campus on Sunday will give Southeast Missourians just that. The Southeast Missouri Symphony Orchestra will play selections from a few of its upcoming concerts.

If you've never been to an orchestra concert -- here or otherwise -- go to this one. It's like a free variety show starring the Symphony Orchestra.

The group will play short parts of three planned concerts, giving you a taste of the music selections for this season, and there will be a drawing to win tickets to each of the coming performances with the exception of the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra concert.

The six-concert 2010-2011 season, which includes a performance by the Saint Louis Symphony, officially starts Oct. 12 with "Rhapsody in Blue," one of my favorite pieces of music. The changes in the tempo and emotion of the song echo my typical day with short periods of calm, beautiful piano that either build or jump right into a frenzied rush of music with several instruments pitching in and adding to the chaos.

When I close my eyes, I can almost see people running and buildings falling or yoga and walks by the river, depending on the part. The imagery of the symphony makes it fun. You just close your eyes and let the music lead you through a story. Picture the animal that moves like the flute, the color of the tympani.

The sampler won't include "Rhapsody in Blue," but it will preview other Gershwin works that will be in that first concert as well as pieces from others.

If you've stayed away from the symphony concerts with a conception of the stuffy, boring music, come Sunday and decide through experience.

The Symphony Sampler will be at 2 p.m. in the Shuck Recital Hall, a more intimate space than the Bedell Performance Hall where the season concerts are.

Bedell provides the grand stage and novelty of the typical orchestra performance. But Shuck welcomes beginners a cozy warmth.

Orchestra director Sara Edgerton will speak between songs. She will explain the selections and talk about the orchestra. Along with your mini-concert, you get a tutorial on the makeup of the orchestra -- instrumentation and what to listen for in a concert. The sampler, along with giving a preview of the season to come, will also help you enjoy the concerts you attend.