SEMO concert and clinic to offer different 'perspectives'

The Southeast Missouri State University Wind Symphony and Concert Band will perform a show called "Perspectives" that explores different ways of seeing life, history and our world.

The performance will take place at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 2, in Bedell Performance Hall at the River Campus in Cape Girardeau.

Jim Daughters, assistant director of music and director of bands for SEMO, will be one of the conductors for Tuesday evening's performance. He said the first piece of the show is called "Zoom", composed by Scott Boerma, and inspired by the video communication platform that saw increased usage during the pandemic and how that forced a changed perspective for so many people, especially students.

"Coming out of COVID, students are fundamentally different in terms of how they approach school, life and their mental health," Daughters said. "It's not to say that it's better or worse, it's just different. So, we're doing a concert that presents life in a lot of different perspectives."

Two pieces will be guest conducted by Avious Jackson, an assistant conductor of the Cincinnati Wind Band and Mason High School band director in Mason, Ohio. Daughters said Jackson, who will also lead a clinic on representing unrepresented composers, has a unique perspective as an African American on the composers most often taught to students.

"Traditionally, for the last 120 years, the classical music world has been saturated with the music of white males," Daughters said. "However, SEMO has a large international student population, so we try to program music that's reflective of many different voices."

Daughters said Jackson will also talk to students about life as a band director, how to balance life, family and the job.

Jackson's clinic will be open to the public and take place at 11:30 a.m. Monday, May 1, in room 155 of the River Campus Cultural Arts Center.

Daughters said they will also have an open rehearsal starting at 7 p.m. Monday in Bedell Performance Hall. He said band directors from schools in the Southeast Missouri region were invited to the rehearsal to "watch how we do what we do with our students and ask questions." He said the rehearsal is also open to the public.

Other pieces being performed Tuesday are "Gloriosa", a Japanese symphony composed by Yasuhide Ito, conducted by Daughters, "Castles in Europe" by James Europe and "Diamond Tide" by Viet Cuong, both conducted by Jackson. The final piece of the evening will be "One Life Beautiful" by Julie Giroux.

Daughters said family members will be invited on stage to sit next to their student as they play.

"It occurred to me it would be kind of cool for their family members to experience them play from a completely different perspective," Daughters said.

For more information and to purchase tickets, call the River Campus Box office at (573) 651-2265 or email tickets@semo.edu