SEMO Percussion Ensemble to host concert

Southeast Missouri State University Percussion Ensemble will host a family-friendly concert of popular film, cartoon and video game music Friday, Oct. 27, at the River Campus in Cape Girardeau.

The concert will begin at 8 p.m. in Bedell Performance Hall located at 518 S. Fountain St. in Cape Girardeau. Admission is free and the audience is encouraged to wear Halloween costumes. Treats will be distributed after the concert.

Shane Mizicko, professor of percussion at SEMO, said the music selected for the concert will serve as soundtracks for short videos playing in the background. He said the instruments are all from the percussion family, including snare and bass drums and marimbas, xylophones and timpani drums.

"Two of the videos are old black and white silent," Mizicko said. "One of them is from 1904 and the other is from 1919, and we'll be playing percussion ensemble music written to accompany them."

Mizicko said they will also play music to accompany clips from "Star Wars: The Mandalorian" TV show and the 1995 film "Casper", about the friendly ghost.

"The closing piece of the concert is entitled 'Science Fiction', and it's 12-minutes of music over a video montage of a lot of science fiction videos," Mizicko said. "There are clips of UFOs and Frankenstein, and just a lot of fun old film clips from the '50s, '60s and '70s. I think Godzilla is in there as well."

Mizicko said the concert is about an hour and family friendly for ages 10 and older.

"It's fun because it's another chance for people to wear their Halloween costumes and eat some treats," Mizicko said. "Even the band will be in costumes."

For more information and to purchase tickets, call (573) 615-2289 or go online at www.SEMO.edu/river-campus-events/calendar.