Jimmy Beers returns for his 15th season appearing in the Southern Illinois Symphony Orchestra
BY JIM BEERS Contributing Writer
CHESTER – Local drummer-percussionist Jimmy Beers just finished his 15th season serving as a percussionist in the Southern Illinois Symphony Orchestra for the Southern Illinois Music Festival (SIMF).
The Southern Ilinois Symphony Orchestra stands for applause at the end of the Southern Illinois Music Festival “All American Concert” Saturday June 10. The program consisted of the “National Anthem”; America the Beautiful” by Samuel A. Ward (1848-1903); The Gettysburg Address”, by Richard Chiarappa (1948- present); “Celebration Overture”, by James Stephenson (1969-Present); Excerpts from “Star Wars”, “Indiana Jones”, “Schindler’s List”, The Olympics”, “The Cowboys”, and “Harry Potter”, by John Williams (1932-present); “The Stars and Stripes Forever” by John Philip Sousa (1854-1932); and “Armed Forces Salute”. Performing in the Southern Illinois Symphony Orchestra was local drummer-percussionist, James Gordon ” Jimmy” Beers. Beers hails from Chester Illinois and currently lives in Christopher. Jim Beers Photo
The event, in its 19th season, takes place each year during the early weeks of summer. This year Beers was honored as the “Mike Hanes Memorial Principal Percussion Chair” and served as principal percussionist of the orchestra.
The 2023 Southern Illinois Symphony Orchestra, (SISO), consisted of 68 musicians employed from across the world with many playing in professional symphony orchestras and opera companies.
The Southern Illinois Symphony Orchestra performs “Celebration Overture” by James Stephenson (1932-) at the Southern Illinois Music Festival “All-American Concert” Saturday June 10th. The event was part of the two-week festival that took place May 25-June 11 and featured 21 performances in 16 days at 12 different Southern Illinois locations. Local drummer-percussionist Jimmy Beers was appearing for his15th season out of 19 seasons. He served as the “Mike Hanes Memorial Percussion Chair” leading the percussion section. Jim Beers Photo
Beers, a native of Chester, Illinois, moved to Carbondale in the fall of 2005 to study at Southern Illinois University where he earned both his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Music Performance.
He works as a music educator and currently teaches drum set at Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO) and music/applied percussion at Rend Lake College in Ina, Illinois. Additionally, Beers works with the Carbondale Middle School drum line and teaches applied percussion lessons through his local studio.
Local drummer-percussionist Jimmy Beers performed with the Southern Illinois Symphony Orchestra (SISO) the last two weeks during the 19th Annual Southern Illinois Music Festival. Beers was making his 15th appearance with the orchestra out of the 19 years of the music festival. Beers is originally from Chester where he graduated from Chester High School, then went to Southern Illinois University where he earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in music performance. He is now a music educator and currently teaches drum set at Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO) and music/applied percussion at Rend Lake College in Ina, Illinois. Additionally, he works with the Carbondale Middle School drum line and teaches applied percussion lessons through his local studio. He further keeps very busy as a freelance drummer-percussionist throughout the Southern Illinois region. Beers is shown here (middle back) playing the tympani at the SI Music Festival “All-American Concert” Saturday June 10th. Jim Beers Photo
He further keeps very busy as a freelance drummer-percussionist throughout the Southern Illinois region playing in numerous ensembles that span many genres including rock, blues, country, orchestral, musical theater, world and jazz. Such groups include Southern Illinois University’s faculty jazz ensemble New Arts Jazztet, West African drum ensemble SIWADE and, most recently at Benson’s in Chester, blues band Deciders.
The 2023 Southern Illinois Music Festival began May 25 and concluded June 11 and featured 16 days of various musical performances including 21 different performances at 12 different locations. Events included two symphony concerts, two operas, a concert of arias, an American music/patriotic music concert, chamber music, and jazz.
The festival is under the direction of Ed Benyas, Artistic and Executive Director. To describe much of the 2023 festival, Benyas said, “Melody, Melody, Beautiful Melody. That describes the 19th Annual Southern Illinois Music Festival. ‘Hidden Gems’ from the past 250 years, with beautiful melodies as a recurring motif.”
Benyas noted that in the spirit of inserting diversity, equity, and inclusion into the programing, he was attempting to help guests try to expand their musical palettes a little this summer.
The 2023 festival was deemed a huge success with performers providing a great variety of musical selections in several different Southern Illinois communities throughout the two-week event. Beers was grateful to be able to participate in the festival for his 15th season and is eager to return next summer.