In this episode of Exposition, we speak with junior music education major Greg Haseley from SEMO about the upcoming orchestra concert. The Southeast Missouri Symphony Orchestra: 25th Anniversary Celebration will be on Friday, April 24th, at 7:30 pm in the Donald C. Bedell Performance Hall.
Conductor Laureate, Dr. Sara Edgerton, returns to the podium for a performance of Beethoven’s 'Triple Concerto' featuring pianist Emiko Edwards, our concertmaster Eva Dove, and Artistic Director and Conductor Patrick Hopkins. Maestro Hopkins will close the season with a performance of Mahler’s monumental 'Symphony No. 1 'Titan'.
Greg, a tuba player, explains he won’t play on the Beethoven (as tuba wasn’t used in that era), but has a prominent role in Mahler’s First—most notably a third tuba solo in the 'Funeral March' section of the third movement and supportive low-register parts that underpin the orchestra throughout the piece. He describes the contrast between the tuba’s usual flashy, march-style role and its more somber, foundational function in Mahler.
Preparing for the concert has been rewarding for Greg. He says it's rehearsing the familiar-but-surprising Mahler themes with the full ensemble, hearing solos across winds and strings, and experiencing the piece come together like a puzzle.
He also recently traveled with the wind symphony to Cincinnati’s Music Hall—a venue with deep orchestral and wind-band history.
This concert closes the season’s orchestra performances, but Greg hints at exciting repertoire planned for next semester, in the fall of 2026. He reflects on the personal rewards of performing in SEMO’s ensembles, including opportunities to play in professional concerts, watch the group grow, and reconnect with former faculty on milestone occasions.
