RIVERBOAT RAGTIME REVUE: AREA CONCERT ASSOCIATION GETTING BIGGER, BETTER

The Southeast Missouri Concert Association is beginning to look like a miniature Muny on a mission.

"We're actually patterning ourselves after the Muny Opera of St. Louis," said Southeast Missouri Concert Association President Ed Kaiser. "The difference is that we're more like a little Muny, smaller in scale and cheaper in price," said Kaiser.

The idea is to build a broad membership base to keep the concert association alive and kicking for years to come. "We're looking for young people and their parents to get involved so that they can eventually take over and keep this going on and on," said Kaiser, who indicated the name of the organization, once called the Cape Girardeau Community Concert Association, was renamed to widen the membership base.

"We joined forces with Southeast Missouri State University last year and that worked out very well," said Kaiser. "They take three shows and we take three or four and that way we get a diverse collection of culture and entertainment."

On Saturday, April 9, the Southeast Missouri Concert Association will present the Cole Porter Revue, a Broadway style song and dance musical at Academic Auditorium at 8 p.m.

"You're The Top", the musical revue from New York, will provide the finale for the Southeast Missouri Concert Association season.

Singers Nancy Fox-Hoover, Douglas Murdock and William Thorpe will be joined by pianist Liliya Khobotkova in this staged revue comprised of some of Porter's most famous songs as well as some of his buried treasures.

Ranging from the sublimely sophisticated "Begin the Beguine" and "In the Still of the Night" to the uplifting effervescence of "It's D'Lovely," these songs span four decades of Porter's genius.

Now in its 10th season, the long-running show has performed across the United States from coast to coast and recently returned from a tour of the People's Republic of China.

In 1991 "You're the Top" was featured as part of the Cole Porter Centennial at the songwriter's Indiana birthplace. Highlights of that performance were recorded for broadcast on CBS television.

Season members from the 1993-94 series may attend the show for free. In addition, those who join up for the 1994-95 season may attend the show free of charge.

"We're kicking off our membership drive the week of April 18-22," said Kaiser. Adult membership is $30. Students may become members for $15. A family membership is $65, which includes children 12 to 18 years of age.

"If you think about it, a family membership for the six-show season is cheaper than what it would cost you to take your family to one show in St. Louis or Memphis," said Kaiser.

Among the shows for the 1994-95 season are the Clemen-Patterson duo, Metelitsa, The Riverboat Ragtime Review, marimba virtuoso Linda Maxey and pianist and comedian David Hollander. Rounding out the series is Windfire, featuring John and Paula Kasica, and Bernard and Barbara McDonald on flute and acoustic guitar.

Clemen and Patterson are the internationally known flute and guitar duo who have won critical acclaim for their performances of music ranging from Bach to Claude Bolling and Saint-Saens to Chick Corea, along with several original compositions.

The ragtime era will come to life with turn-of-the-century American songs, toe-tapping tunes, sprightly dances of the time, sparkling piano and banjo complete with a costume array of top hats, white gloves, frills and parasols.

Hollander is considered one of the funniest concert pianists in America. Unlike Victor Borge, however, Hollander teaches the audience to love the music as well as his humor.

"We're trying to invite high school and grade school students to expose them to this form of entertainment and hopefully get them involved at some time in the future," said Kaiser. "Our membership is at 600 and growing. "We feel very good about the direction in which we're going."

One of the aspects the Southeast Missouri Concert Association has borrowed from the Muny in St. Louis is patron of the arts commitments. "The way that works is a company or group will pledge so much to help sponsor the association throughout the season," said Kaiser. "We're hoping to make that grow."

Memberships can be exchanged with community concerts at Carbondale, Ill., Paducah, Ky., Poplar Bluff, Union City, Tenn., Perryville, Sikeston and Malden, Mo. "If you belong to our concert association, you can use one of your six shows at Paducah or Union City," said Kaiser.

Linda Maxey occupies a unique position in the music world as one of only a few concert marimba virtuosos. She has turned in a myriad of performances in the United States and Europe as recitalist and soloist with orchestras.

Metelista is 23 classically-trained musicians from St. Petersburg, Russia who play authentic Russian folk instruments wearing rich, ethnic costumes. The folk orchestra honors the Russian heritage.

Windfire travels from Civil War fife and drum music to the days of vaudville to 17th century court dances in Italy to 20th century France.

Bernard and Barbara McDonald, using flute and acoustic guitar, recreate the elegance and simplicity of traditional Irish music.