172 LOCAL MUSICIANS TO PERFORM IN EUROPE

More than 170 of the state's top young musicians have been rehearsing "Stars and Stripes Forever," "Stompin' at the Savoy" and other classic American tunes this week at Southeast Missouri State University in preparation for a 16-day tour of Europe that begins when they leave Lambert Field in St. Louis Saturday.

The 172 members of the concert band, choir, string orchestra and jazz band that make up the Missouri Ambassadors of Music will travel in four buses to concert sites in London, Paris, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein and Italy.

Tonight, the musicians will provide a chance to hear what they can do when they present a farewell concert at 7:30 in Academic Auditorium.

The travelers range in age from 12 to an adult chaperone in her 70s. Most of the musicians are in junior high, high school and college. Twenty-six band and choir directors from around the state have been rehearsing the musicians and also will perform with the groups.

Dr. Robert Gifford, a professor of music at Southeast, has been the director of the Missouri Ambassadors since the group's inception in 1990. He says the group invariably bonds during its intense week of preparatory rehearsals.

"It feels like a big family," he says.

The group will wear white jackets sponsored by various music stores in the state. "They keep them warm and help identify them as a group," Gifford said. "It helps get through customs."

In London, the choir and orchestra will play at Winchester Cathedral, and the concert band will perform at Trafalgar Square. Gifford said the musicians have been able to spy the queen on each of the four previous visits.

Tour guides will lead the group in each city.

Gifford will conduct the concert band, with Charles Phegley of De Soto High School conducting the choir, Edwin Simon of Parkway South High School heading the orchestra and Robert Altman of the Seymour public schools leading the jazz band.

The group is one of 40 similar musical groups that represent different states in the union. The musicians are chosen by their band directors on the basis of musical ability and character.

Each of the students has paid $3,000 to be part of the tour. Ben Hinchey, an alto sax player from Jackson High School, was fronted the money by his grandmother and is paying her back by working as a waiter at Julian's Restaurant.

He welcomes the chance "to see Europe and play with a lot of the best musicians from the state."

Hinchey, who plays first alto in the jazz band, said the musicians are good. "We have gotten real tight."

Mark Anderson of Cape Girardeau Central is playing second trombone in the jazz band and singing in the choir. Besides the opportunity to play with good musicians, the tour also is a chance to see some of the sights the World War II history buff has only read about.

"I also want to see the art," he said. The tour will spend half a day at the Louvre.

Musicians who will be on the tour from Cape Girardeau include Wendy Allen, daughter of Mearlin and Darlene Allen; Mark Anderson, daughter of Kevin and Cindy Anderson; Jeff Burns, son of Richard Burns and Mercedes Fort; Jacqueline McAllister, daughter of Mark and Cheryl McAllister; and David Remley, son of David and SuAnne Remley.

Also going will be Connie Aufdenberg, daughter of Richard and Judy Aufdenberg of Burfordville; Bobby Abernathy, son of Richard and Nona Abernathy of Jackson; and Ben Hinchey, son of William and Diane Hinchey of Jackson.

Musicians from Sikeston include Michael Jaure, son of Marcie Christensen; Gabe Marshall, son of Dan and Anne Marshall; Nichole Miller, daughter of Karla Drysdale; Katherine Powers, daughter of Jim and Kathy Powers; and Gregory Rhines, son of Ed and Linda Melkersman.

The staff members from the region are Ron Nall, former Cape Girardeau Central band director; Ed Cowan, band director at Sikeston High School; Dr. Ann Porter Gifford, an associate professor of education; and Goals 2000 fine arts secretary Barbara Duncan and her husband, Sam.