TOP MUSICIANS TO PLAY AT SOUTHEAST

Fifty of the best high school musicians in Southeast Missouri will converge on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University this weekend to play in the Southeast Missouri Honors Wind Ensemble.

The elite musicians are all members of their all-district bands and some undoubtedly will achieve all-state recognition. They are in for a whirlwind of auditions and rehearsals before the band's performance at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in Academic Auditorium.

The teen-agers, who hail from high schools deep in the Bootheel and as far north as Jefferson County, will arrive at the university at 3:30 p.m. Friday and then audition for parts.

They will rehearse in the music building at 4:30, followed by another rehearsal at 7. Except for those from the same high school, none of the musicians has ever played with each other before.

On Saturday, members of the Southeast faculty will provide the musicians with a master class. Rehearsals will be held again in the morning and afternoon in Academic Auditorium.

Robert M. Gifford, a professor of music at the university, started the Southeast Missouri Honors Wind Ensemble 12 years ago. Barry Bernhardt, Southeast's director of activity bands, also conducts.

The band is the only one of its kind in the state and draws from the two southeastern districts of the 11 total districts determined by the Missouri music educators.

"It's a very good recruitment tool and a good opportunity for the students to learn as well," Gifford said.

Though the musicians were sent the music only a week before Christmas, he expects they'll come together as a band by Saturday night.

"They're pretty talented kids, and they're almost always academically stronger students," Gifford said.

The band will play a program of four songs. One of the tunes, "Mazama," is based on Native American folk music and will include the sound of an ocarina, a globular flute made of porcelain or clay. Gifford chose alto saxophonist Nicole Schwent, daughter of Jackson band teacher Pat Schwent, to play the ocarina.

Also on the program are "Three American Fanfares," a new work by popular young American composer Andrew Boysen and a march by Scott Joplin.

The concert is free.

The honors musicians and their high schools are:

Flute-piccolo -- Connie Aufdenburg, Jackson; Lisa Hale, New Madrid County Central; Anna Kuntz, Northwest; Ruth Rauls, Fredericktown; Kathleen Russell, Festus; Jessica Terry, Jackson; and Erin Williams, Windsor.

Oboe -- Amanda Schuessler, Hillsboro.

Bassoon -- Jonathan James, East Prairie; and Clint Meyer, Valle Catholic.

Clarinet -- Amy Arnold, Scott City; Christina Lamb, Festus; Melissa Maness, Fredericktown; Janel Roland, Fox of Arnold; Theresa Schindler, Perryville; Michael Shuster, Northwest; Darla Upchurch, Jackson; Amanda Webb, Jackson; and Sarah Webster, Festus.

Alto clarinet -- Charlotte Zimmerman, Fox of Arnold.

Bass clarinet -- Lindsay Marlow, Crystal City; Becky Raymer, Farmington; Jennifer Toppins, Fredericktown; and Kara Weyand, Fredericktown.

Contra clarinet -- Amy Aufdenberg, Jackson.

Alto saxophone -- Jami Castor, Farmington; Nicole Schwent, Jackson.

Tenor saxophone -- Tim Hite, Cape Central; and Wesley Grabel, Cape Central.

Baritone saxophone -- Amy Bieser, Valle Catholic; and Matthew Hale, Jackson.

Trumpet -- Angie Carr, Potosi; Steve DuVall, Perryville; Justin Ellis, Fox of Arnold; John Gidden, Clearwater; Matt Martin, Jackson; and Mike McGee, Festus.

Horn -- Jennifer Balsman, Perryville; Jason Johnson, Farmington; Beth LeFebvre, Jackson; Suzie Morrel, Windsor; Mike Rozier, Valle Catholic; Renee Saindon, Perryville; and Elizabeth Shivelbine, Cape Central.

Trombone -- B.J. Foster, West County; Brian Kirn, Perryville; Andy Matthews, Fredericktown; Tony Miller, Northwest; Shamsy Sadegh, Sikeston; Heather Tinnin, Fredericktown; and Chris Wunderlich, Jackson.

Euphonium -- Erin Wright, Fredericktown.

TUBA -- Monica Bishop, Fredericktown; Rebecca Roberts, Windsor; and Doyle Stadt, Jackson.

Percussion -- Joe Brennan, West County; Kyle Cox, Farmington; Ron Farrow, Cape Central; Melissa Gilliam, Farmington; Jennifer Horst, Jackson; Ryan Mangels, Jackson; and Eve Troeh, Valle Catholic.