MUSICIANS FINE-TUNE INTERESTS

Some 100 middle-school musicians got an opportunity to better appreciate their art during the Middle School String Festival at Southeast Missouri State University Thursday.

The festival, in its second year, brought together stringed instrument players from Cape Girardeau, Sikeston and Parkway Northeast Middle School for an afternoon performance in Academic Auditorium. Co-founder Steve Schaffner, who is orchestra director for Cape Girardeau public schools, said the event allows middle-school students to deepen their interest in orchestra music.

"We felt there was a need to do something specifically for middle-school kids because most events of this type are geared more towards high-school students," said Schaffner. "We felt if there were a large group experience like this we would be able to keep more students rather than lose them to other activities."

Schaffner said students actually began practicing music for the performance at their schools last month. They were then brought together for a brief rehearsal in the afternoon, followed by a performance later in the day.

"The challenge is when you get all these guys together -- getting the boys working at the same time," he said.

Parent Gary Holshouser was on hand to see his daughter, Central Junior High School student Erica, perform in the festival concert. He said activities like the festival allow her to cultivate her interest in the arts and improve her skill as a musician.

"It's pretty amazing that they can take kids from all over and just put them up there," he said. "If it weren't for art and things like this, school wouldn't even be interesting."

Few parents were expected to attend the performance because it occurred late in the afternoon. But having a large attendance was not the goal of the festival; it was more important for the students to have the experience, said Schaffner.

"The importance of the festival is not so much the performance as it is getting together," he said. "It gives them something to work towards. You don't want to do this without something major at the end."