CONCERTS CAMPAIGN TO START ON MONDAY

The Southeast Missouri Community Concerts campaign begins Monday and continues through Friday.

Scheduled to appear next year are the eclectic band Cafe Noir, a dance and drama spectacular called "Navidad Flamenca" and the Aspen Wind Quintet.

Cafe Noir is a Dallas-based all-acoustic quintet that plays classical, world beat, jazz, folk and Eastern European music on a variety of instruments, including accordion, guitar, violin, viola, clarinet and mandolin and bass. Most of the band's songs are original compositions.

Their 1988 debut album was named album of the year by NPR's "All Things Considered."

"Navidad Flamenca," featuring Pablo Rodarte and Dance Espana, will be presented at Christmas. It tells the story of the birth of Christ through a two-act flamenco dance and drama.

Rodarte taught and performed in Spain for 24 years, and has danced as a soloist with Jose Greco and the Spanish Dance Arts Company of New York. He now lives in New Mexico.

Also featured will be Eva Encinias, head of the flamenco program at the University of New Mexico.

The company of 17 includes musicians who play recorders, the guitar, a ram's horn, several Middle Eastern drums and a rain stick.

The Aspen Wind Quintet, winner of the Naumburg Award, consists of flute, oboe, clarinet, horn and bassoon.

"The Aspen Wind Quintet is one of the best ensembles of its kind, the five young musicians playing now with the smooth consistency of a grand organ, now with the bumptious charm of the village band," a New York Times reviewer wrote of a Carnegie Recital Hall concert.

Additional concerts association members can attend will be scheduled by Southeast Missouri State University.

Members of the concert association also are entitled to attend concerts sponsored by the concert associations in Carbondale, Ill., Paducah, Ky., Poplar Bluff, Perryville, Sikeston and Malden.

Memberships are $30 for adults, $15 for students and $65 for families.

To become a member, phone 335-4743 during campaign week, or 335-5453 throughout the year.