SEMO string teacher gets music award

Co-workers and students at Southeast Missouri State University know Dr. Sara Edgerton as a high-profile artist and teacher. She's a star performer with local and regional ensembles and director of the Southeast Symphony Orchestra.

Now Edgerton has been recognized at the state level with a top honor in her field. On Thursday she was presented with the Artist Teacher of the Year Award by the Missouri chapter of the American String Teacher Association.

"I'm really very honored, because this is an award that comes from all the string teachers and musicians in the state that belong to this organization," Edgerton said. "It's the main professional organization for both string performers and string teachers."

Dr. Gary Miller, chair of Southeast's music department, said the award was a well-deserved honor.

"She is known all over the state for her efforts as a string teacher," said Miller, who added Edgerton is the immediate past president of the organization.

Winning the award puts Edgerton in the upper echelon of string teachers in the state. Winners typically come from larger schools in urban centers like Kansas City or St. Louis, Edgerton said.

Now this award shows the increased recognition Southeast's music program is deservedly garnering, she said.

Miller said this kind of accolade for the music department lifts the entire program.

"It gets the name of the Southeast Missouri State University music department right out there," Miller said. "It puts the name of the university and music department in forefront."

msanders@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182