'Saturday Night Live' band leader to perform with SEMO students

Leon Pendarvis will bring the instrumental sounds of "Saturday Night Live" to the Southeast Missouri State University River Campus next week. The musical director of the comedy show's band will perform with students during a lecture at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the Shuck Music Recital Hall.

Judith Farris, an artist-in-residence in musical theater, said the presentation will chronicle his 30-year career with the NBC show.

"He hates talking about himself, but he will have to," Farris said.

Pendarvis' wife, Jill Armsbury, was one of Farris' students. Armsbury, a New York-based singer, spoke about her experience with lung cancer at Southeast in 2008; she died early this year. Department of Theatre and Dance students dedicated their February performance of "Sweet Charity" to her.

Farris said Pendarvis' lecture will resonate with his wife's message to students. She said he will talk about his struggles to pursue a career as a producer and performer.

Pendarvis, a keyboardist, will also give an improvised performance with five students to demonstrate his musical arranging style.

"They're just going to do it off the cuff," Farris said.

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