SEMO Regional Jazz Orchestra to Perform Benefit Concert

The Southeast Missouri Regional Jazz Orchestra will perform a benefit concert of Latin, folk and jazz standards Friday, Aug. 4, at Bedell Performance Hall on the Southeast Missouri State University River Campus in Cape Girardeau.

Proceeds from the concert will benefit the SEMO Marching Band to fund a trip to Indianapolis in October. The marching band was invited to play during a Bands of America Super Regional Championship on Saturday, Oct. 21, at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Brooke DeArman, assistant director of International Student Services and International Education and Services at SEMO, is a trumpet player in the SEMO Regional Jazz Orchestra (SMRJO). She said she was a member of SEMO's Marching Band when she was a student.

DeArman said she was thrilled with the opportunity for the jazz orchestra to perform at the Bedell Performance Hall and that the concert will benefit the marching band.

"The members of the SMRJO were hoping to add a concert in Cape Girardeau to our schedule this season. So when this opportunity was presented to us, we enthusiastically agreed to help out," DeArman said. "Many of our members are alumni of the Southeast Department of Music and marching band. We are very excited to be helping the marching band out while having the opportunity to perform a wide variety of music in a great performance space."

According to a news release from SEMO, the university's marching band will perform for thousands of spectators at the Bands of America championship. The release stated High school marching bands from across the United States will compete against each other, and SEMO's marching band was one of only two university bands nationwide invited to perform.

Jim Daughters, assistant professor and Director of Bands in SEMO's Department of Music, said the opportunity is a "tremendous honor" and the college band equivalent of winning a championship.

"The history of the SEMO Marching Band is deep, and many will remember the band performed at Super Bowl V," Daughters said. "This is our Super Bowl, and our students are incredibly excited. We can't wait to represent Southeast Missouri on a national stage."

Funding the October trip will take considerable resources, the release stated, and funds are needed to cover transportation of students and equipment, an overnight hotel stay in Indianapolis as well as food and many other expenses.

The release stated SEMO Band students will embark on several fundraising activities during the summer and beginning of the fall semester.

DeArman said she and her fellow SMRJO musicians are happy their concert will kickoff the band's fundraising efforts. She said they will play a "little bit of everything."

"We want to appeal to the masses and make it a fun night for everybody whether they're 2 years old or if they're 92 years old."

DeArman said SMRJO was formed in 2000 by a group of music educators, professional musicians, and talented high school and college students because they wanted to keep playing during the summer months.

"We all have a love for jazz and want to keep playing during our down time," DeArman said. "But the jazz orchestra also gives those high school kids the college kids a chance to play with the band directors and the pro musicians kind of giving them that experience and building their repertoire if you if you will."

Tickets for the concert can be purchased online at tickets@semo.edu, or by contacting the River Campus Box Office at (573) 651-2265.