Southeast Missouri State University's symphony conductor Sara Edgerton to retire

Sara Edgerton, professor of cello and string bass and artistic director and conductor of the Southeast Missouri Symphony Orchestra at Southeast Missouri State University, is set to retire after 33 years.

Edgerton joined SEMO in 1991 and was hired to develop the orchestra at the school. She has played a crucial role in revitalizing and leading the orchestra and preparing for her final concert.

When Edgerton joined SEMO in 1991, she was hired to help develop the orchestra as the university was lacking a full-time professor dedicated to string instruments. She was faced with the challenge of rebuilding the orchestra, which initially consisted of only five string players. Her efforts led to the orchestra’s development over the past 33 years, allowing it to perform complex pieces and engage in more projects.

“I always say that I go back to that first rehearsal; I walked into the room, and five students were sitting there, five string players. So you know, it was a challenge, but I was excited because there was so much potential. There’s so much interest and support. People felt like we needed the symphony orchestra.” Edgerton said.

Under Edgerton’s leadership, the SEMO orchestra put on several memorable concerts, including one on the Great Wall of China in 2009.

“Just outside the hallway of my office, there’s this wonderful photo of the orchestra on the Great Wall of China. When I came here, if someone had said, ‘Sara, in 15 years your orchestra could be playing in China’, I would say, ‘You’ve got to be joking’. But, yeah, we did that,” she said.

Sara Edgerton conducts a rehearsal at the River Campus on Tuesday, April 18. Edgerton's final concert with the River Campus is set for April 23. Photo by Aaron Eisenhauer

Sara Edgerton conducts a rehearsal at the River Campus on Tuesday, April 18. Edgerton's final concert with the River Campus is set for April 23. Photo by Aaron Eisenhauer

Edgerton also enjoyed being able to take the orchestra around the country for smaller international concerts. She led a tour in Italy a few years ago and brought students to major U.S. cities such as Washington, D.C., and New York during her time at SEMO. These tours not only enriched the students’ educational experiences but also the orchestra’s profile on a national and international stage.

“I feel like it’s been an incredible journey with the orchestra. I had no idea where we might go with all of this, and just very, honored really to have been part of the journey. And I look forward to seeing what the orchestra will do in the next 33 years. There’s certainly so much that they can continue to do, to grow and maybe go in new directions as well.”

As she moves into retirement, Edgerton plans to continue her engagement with music and explore personal interests such as travel and hiking. Her final concert is Tuesday, April 23, and will be a celebration of her career.

“It’s a little sad, but I’m terribly excited. Really, more than anything, I think I’m just so pleased with what we’ve done this year, what we’ve done the last few years, particularly coming out of COVID. Because for those couple of years, we had to be really careful about live performances and be very mindful of regulations of not being in close contact. So I think really for me, I’m just so relieved that we’re back to the full orchestra on stage back to traveling and touring. This feels like a great moment to have a closing concert for the season and, and for my time here.”