River Campus to host annual Percussion Ensemble's Family Holiday Concert

The 11th annual Percussion Ensemble's Family Holiday Concert will be 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday at the River Campus in Cape Girardeau, with performances by the Southeast Missouri State University musical theater ensemble, percussion ensemble, clarinet choir and saxophone choir.

Guest artists for the show include Edge Aerial Arts Performance Youth Ensemble and Gabe Martinez, worship pastor at Lynwood Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau.

Shane Mizicko, professor of music and director of percussion ensemble, drum line and front ensemble said when the program first began, the intent was to have a professional, quality concert geared toward families with young children.

"Every year we have different guest artists. We haven't had musical theater singers for a while, so that's kind of new," he said.

Martinez was chosen after Mizicko learned of his style of singing and playing, Mizicko said.

Martinez will be involved in three short duet pieces, involving mostly guitar and drums.

The program is less than an hour long, Mizicko said, and most of the music is fast-paced.

There's also a visual component to it, he said, with opportunities for the crowd to engage.

A slideshow will be featured to add even more visual excitement to children-favorites such as "Frosty the Snowman," "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," and a "Polar Express" medley, according to a news release.

Children are invited to participate in coloring activities before the show, and milk and cookies will be provided at the conclusion of the concert.

"We have little egg shakers that the children can shake along and participate during the concert," he said.

Because of popular demand, the show has outgrown the roughly 950-seat capacity of the Donald C. Bedell Performance Hall for one show, he said, and has recently required a two-show schedule.

The first several years, he said, the concert kept growing and finally grew to the point where it allowed for standing room only.

In recent years, around 700 people attended each concert, Mizicko said. He expects there to be more than 700 people in attendance Saturday.

Mizicko said for each concert, he looks for interesting and new repertoire that he would like to pursue.

"I've been trying to start more of an African drum component. ... We have singers about every other year, but there is one particular piece, 'African Noel,' that has a lot of African djembes," he said.

Mizicko labels the concert as an exciting program to which parents feel comfortable bringing their children, and said it also serves to "teach families and young children how to act at a professional concert."

"It's just a very comfortable environment for families," Mizicko said. "It's positive and energetic. It's a very festive atmosphere."

Admission is free, but a $1 donation for ages 6 and older is requested. More details can be found online at rivercampus.org.

jhartwig@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3632