Jimmy Beers performs with Wind Ensemble and Kaleb Rehmer sings with Concert Choir
By Jim Beers
CHESTER – Monday October 7 through Sunday October 13 was Homecoming Week at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. A wide variety of events took place throughout that week, however, the event that capped-off the homecoming activities was a reunion concert performed by former and current members of the Southern Illinois University Concert Choir and Wind Ensemble.
SIU Wind Ensemble Director, Dr. Christopher Morehouse, Director of Bands at SIU, said, “We tried having a reunion concert a couple of years ago and it was enjoyed by everyone who was involved or who attended the concert. So, this year we decided to give it a try again and got a great response.”
“Alumni really enjoy returning to SIU to perform one more time, and once we get a good idea how many holes we have to fill, we ask current band and choir members to join us. This year there we had 67 alums return to perform, 42 wind ensemble members and 25 concert choir members. In addition, we had two guest performers come to perform with us, one with wind ensemble and one with concert choir.”
This year the Wind Ensemble featured a total of 83 performers including 42 alumni and 41 current members. Instrumentation included 4 Flutes, 4 Oboes, 13 Clarinets, 3 Bass Clarinets, 2 Bassoons, 5 Alto Saxophones, 2 Tenor Saxophones, 2 Baritone Saxophones, 5 French Horns, 14 Trumpets, 10 Trombones; 5 Euphoniums, 3 Tubas, 1 String Bass, and 10 Percussionists. The Wind Ensemble was directed by Dr. Christopher Morehouse, Director of Bands.
The Concert Choir, directed by Susan Davenport, Director of Choral Activities, had a total of 75 members, 25 alumni and 50 current choir members. The 2024 Reunion Concert Choir featured 20 Sopranos, 24 Altos, 16 Tenors, and 14 Basses. Dr. Jiyeon Lee was the Collaborative Pianist.
The two Chester performers included James Gordon “Jimmy” Beers, formerly from Chester, and Caleb Rehmer, of Chester. Beers is a percussionist and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Percussion Performance from the SIU-C School of Music and also earned a Master’s Degree of Percussion Performance from the SIU-C School of Music.
Beers currently performs in the region and teaches at Southeast Missouri State University, John A. Logan College, and Rend Lake College. He also teaches private lessons. Jimmy thoroughly enjoyed being back at SIU-C and performing with the Wind Ensemble.
Rehmer is a sophomore at Southern Illinois University and enjoys singing with the SIU-C Concert Choir. He is a former SIU Marching Saluki and is pursuing a degree in Music-Theatre, and associated areas.
The current SIU Wind Ensemble students and Concert Choir students rehearsed music for the Reunion Concert throughout the past several weeks of the first semester. Alumni returned to SIU for the weekend and rehearsed with the current members from 10:00 A.M till approximately 11:30 A.M. on the morning of the concert Sunday October 13. A light brunch was served to all musicians, vocalists, instructors and staff following the rehearsal.
The hour-long concert included ten selections, the last of which was a combined seven movements. The Wind Ensemble was featured on three selections, the Concert Choir was featured on four selections, and the groups joined for two selections. The final six-movement production was performed via a joint effort by the Wind Ensemble and the Choir together.
The program started with both groups joining in the performance of the “Southern Alma Mater (c. 1933-1934) by Clarke Morgan (1913-1968). The audience was asked to stand and join in with the singing of the school song.
The Wind Ensemble performed the second song titled, “Gavorkna Fanfare” (1991) by Jack Stamp (b. 1954).
The third and fourth songs were performed by the Concert Choir. Song No. 3 was, “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring”, from Herz and Mund und Tat and Leben, BWV 147 (1723), by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750).
Song No. 4 was “Weihnachten, Op. 79, No. 1” (1843), by Felix Mendelssohn-Bartoldy (1806-1847).
The Wind Ensemble was featured on song No. 5, “Shepherd’s Hey” (1918), by Percy Grainger (1882-1961).
On the next song (No. 6) the Concert Choir and the Wind Ensemble joined forces to perform, “Almighty Father” from “Mass” (1971), by Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990).
The Concert Choir took the stage for the next two selections. Song No. 7 was, “Bourree II” from English Suite No. 2 in A Minor, BWV (1715, rev. 1720), by Johann Sebastian Bach. The second song (No. 8) was, “Bridge Over Troubled Water” (1969), by Paul Simo. (b. 1941), arr. Martin Jones.
The Wind Ensemble was featured on song No. 9, “Shout” from “Come Sunday” (2018), by Omar Thomas (b. 1984). This performance brought the house down with its fast-paced, lively, percussion-filled theme and continuous rhythmic exchanges from all 10 percussionists. This was a great way to end the first half of the concert.
After a brief 15-minute intermission, the Wind Ensemble and Concert Choir once again joined together to perform an original theatre project that was in partnership with the Gaiety School of Acting: The National Theatre School of Ireland.
Patrick Sutton, director; Martin Maguire, playwright; Susan Davenport and Christopher Morehouse, music directors and Smock Alley Theatre 1662 Boys’ School, Dublin, Ireland. This presentation was in six movements.
Movement 1: “The Promise of Living” from “The Tender Land” (1954), by Aaron Copland (1900-1999), trans. Thomas Duffy.
Movement 2: “I Told You This Would Happen!” Originally staged June 2, 2023 WORLD PREMIERE and June 3, 2023.
Movement 3: “Salvation is Created” from “Ten Communion Hymns”, Op. 25 (1912) by Pavel Chesnokov (1877-1944), band arr. Bruce Houseknecht and chorus arr. George Matterling.
Movement 4: “Malacoda’s Bridge: The Ninth Circle of Hell”. Originally staged June 5, 2026 WORLD PREMIERE and June 6, 2026.
Movement 5: “Nimrod” from “Variations on an Original Theme (‘Enigma’), Op. 36 (1899), by Edward Elgar (1857-1934), band arr. Alfred Reed and Chorus arr. David Giardiniere.
Movement 6: “The Famous Flag”, Originally staged June 2, 2012 WORLD PREMIERE and June 3, 2012.
The concert ended with the audience on their feet for a standing ovation. The Southern Illinois University Concert Choir and Wind Ensemble Reunion Concert was deemed a huge success with attendees asking for another Reunion Concert next year during Homecoming week 2025.
The event was listed as Series 2024-2025. No. 13. Sunday October 13, 2024. 12:00 p.m. Shryock Auditorium.
Upcoming events of interest include:
Wednesday October 30, 2024, 7:00 p.m. School of Music “Halloween Pops” with Wind Ensemble, Eric Whitacre, “Ghost Train” and Concert Choir, Andrew Loyd Webber Selections from, “The Phantom of the Opera”.
Tuesday November 19, 2024, 7:00 p.m. Choral Union Concert and Wind Ensemble. Karl Jenkins, “The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace.”
Former Chester High School student Caleb Rehmer sings with the SIU-C Concert Choir Sunday October 13 at the 2024 Reunion Concert. Jim Beers Photo
Jimmy Beers a former Chester High School student performs with the SIU-C Wind Ensemble at the 2024 Homecoming Reunion Concert at Shryock Auditorium. Beers played in the Wind Ensemble when hew was a student at SIU-C earning both a Bachelor’s Degree and Master’s Degree in Music-Percussion Performance. Jim Beers Photo
Dr. Christopher Morehouse, SIU Director of Bands and Susan Davenport, Director of Choral Activities, pose for an encore at the end of the 2024 Homecoming Wind Ensemble and Concert Choir Concert Sunday October 13 at Shryock Auditorium. Jim Beers Photo
The SIU Wind Ensemble and Alumni and the SIU Concert Choir and Choir Alumni perform together at the 2024 Homecoming Reunion Concert Sunday October 13. Former musicians (alumni) and current members of the Wind Ensemble and Chorus joined forces to perform an excellent concert to top-off Homecoming 2024 activities. Jim Beers Photo