FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SOUTHEAST CHORAL UNION, SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA TO PRESENT RUTTER 'REQUIEM' ON APRIL 30

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo., April 5, 2002 -- The Department of Music at Southeast Missouri State University will present "From the British Isles" at 8 p.m. April 30 in Academic Auditorium.

The Southeast Missouri Symphony Orchestra, Choral Union and University Choir will present the concert. The orchestra will perform "Three Harbour Sketches" (Amos) and "The Lark Ascending" (Vaughan Williams). The choirs will join the orchestra to conclude the program with John Rutter's "Requiem."

Sara Edgerton, director of the orchestra and associate professor of music, will share the orchestral podium with Paul Thompson, Southeast instructor of music, while John Egbert, associate professor of music and director of the University Choir and Choral Union, will conduct the "Requiem." Southeast adjunct voice faculty member, Lori Shaffer, will be the featured soloist for the "Requiem." Choral rehearsal accompanists are Christy Shinn of Gordonville, Mo., for the Choral Union and Tyson Wunderlich of Altenburg, Mo., for the University Choir.

Free concert shuttles will be provided to and from Academic Hall from parking lot #4 on Henderson between Broadway and Normal.

Admission is $6 for adults; $5 for University faculty and staff, and senior citizens; and $4 for students. Preferred-reserved seating (balcony and front/center floor) is available for $10 through the University Performing Box Office at (573) 651-2265. Reserved tickets are now available by calling the University Performing Box Office; general admission tickets will be available at the door.

Keith Amos, whose work "Three Harbour Sketches will be performed, has won several prestigious composition competitions, and is a popular English composer. His work, "Three Harbour Sketches," has received wide exposure as a work for band, although conceived as a symphonic work. This performance, the American premiere of the symphonic version, will be conducted by Thompson.

The music of Ralph Vaughan Williams returns to Southeast with a performance of "The Lark Ascending." Written in the 1920s, the work features solo violinist Ronald François (representing the Lark), and will be conducted by Edgerton.

John Rutter's "Requiem," written in 1985, is one of the most popular and accessible major choral works of the late 20th century. His artistic integrity is evident throughout, and the simplistic beauty of his melodies--a Rutter trademark--is a prominent element in the "Requiem." Rutter's influence on an entire generation of American and European composers will extend his legacy well into the 21st century, and the elegance of this work has made it a worldwide favorite of singers and audiences alike.

A large turnout is expected for the concert.

"During the past several years, our community has been incredibly supportive and transformed these Choral Union/Orchestra concerts into major community cultural events," Egbert said. "The performances have generated huge audiences and have been very well received."