CONCERT TONIGHT PAYS TRIBUTE TO GERSHWIN

The musical genius of George Gershwin will be celebrated tonight at Southeast Missouri State University with a concert commemorating the 100th anniversary of the composer's birth.

The concert, entitled "Gershwin: Here to Stay," will be at 7 p.m. in Brandt Music Hall and will feature the talents Lori Shaffer, Christopher Goeke and Tim DePriest performing works written by Gershwin. Admission is free.

Gershwin, who was born Sept. 28, 1898, is considered by many to be America's greatest composer. His works stretched across the musical spectrum from musical theater and jazz bands to piano preludes and opera.

"People around the world are celebrating his birthday with concerts of his music. So we got the drive to put on a concert," said DePriest, who will play two of Gershwin's piano preludes and accompany singers Shaffer and Goeke.

Several of the songs in the concert come from musical theater, including "Our Love is Here to Stay," "Nice Work if You Can Get It," "Embraceable You" and "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off." The concert will also feature two selections -- "Summertime" and "It Ain't Necessary So" -- from Gershwin's only opera, "Porgy and Bess."

"So much of what Gershwin did was vocal," DePriest said.

Shaffer, who teaches voice at the university and at the Southeast Missouri Music Academy, has performed with the Light Opera of Manhattan, the New York Gilbert and Sullivan Players and the Choral Symphony Society of New York. She has also made concert appearances in Iowa, New Jersey, Kansas and Missouri.

Goeke, an associate professor of voice and opera at the university, holds a doctorate from the University of Iowa and has performed over 25 operatic and oratorio roles across the country. He has appeared with Central City Opera Company, the Santa Fe Desert Choral, the Muddy River Opera, the Cedar Rapids Symphony and the Westchester Opera.

DePriest has been involved with the university's music and theater departments since 1987. He has been the pianist for several musical theater productions, including "The Three-penny Opera," "The Music Man" and "Two by Two." He has also performed in the university jazz choir and has been both a singer and accompanist in the University Choir for 10 seasons.