LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: RECOGNITION OF A MUSICAL PERFORMER

To The Editor:

After reading the May 8 letter to the editor complimenting the fine music department/faculty at Southeast Missouri State University, we were very shocked at the glaring oversight in the letter. While we couldn't agree more that the people of Cape Girardeau are very lucky to have such fine musicians in our home town university, we cannot fairly acknowledge them without recognizing one individual who has given one hundred and ten percent of her effort to the music department, and who was quite unfortunately overlooked in the letter to the editor; Ms. Heidi Bergman, the concertmistress of the SEMO orchestra and violin/viola teacher at the university.

Ms. Bergman has an impressive background which includes education at the institutions such as Yale, Julliard, Eastman, and the Vienna Academy of Music. She has played concerts in Europe, and also played in Carnegie Hall.

This year, she has graced our town with several outstanding performances. Her October 10 fall recital was particularly special in that she played in the historic Old St. Vincent's church, which lends itself elegantly to the performance of classical music. In this performance, Ms. Bergman played her selections on a Stradivarius violin. She performed once again in February of this year, when she played a Bartock selection. Ms. Bergman also did an exemplary performance at the closing concert of the year when she played at least four melodious arias from the spring portion of Handel's Messiah. She also served as the concertmistress in the recent operas, The Reluctant Dragon and Puccini's Gianni Schicci, as well as giving a shining performance during her jazz debut May 6. Ms. Bergman also teaches at the University, and gives private lessons to violin and viola students.

It is an honor to have such a versatile and talented musician in our midst. Ms. Bergman is a wonderful asset to our music department at Southeast Missouri's State University!

CASSANDRA R. KRAUSS

JAMIE A. FILER

Cape Girardeau