Connoisseurs Series Presents Free Concerts at Southern Miss

Mon, 11/04/2024 - 12:34pm | By: Dr. Mike Lopinto

The University of Southern Mississippi School of Music presents the 2024-25 Connoisseurs Series that offers performances by world-class guest artists for the community. The first of these four landmark events is slated for November 19 at 6 p.m. in Marsh Auditorium on the Southern Miss Hattiesburg campus, when “My Sister’s Keeper” fills the air with song. Thanks to the Mr. and Mrs. James Simrall, Jr. Arts Endowment, these concerts are presented at no charge to the public.

“My Sister’s Keeper” appearances have been a rousing success at the Pipino Performing Arts Series, Collaborative Arts Institute of Chicago and ArtsLIVE/Dayton, and they have been invited as featured artists at conferences for the National Association of Teachers of Singing, the National Opera Association, International Congress of Voice Teachers, National Association of Negro Musicians, and the African American Art Song Alliance. Drs. Minnita Daniel-Cox, Alexis Davis-Hazell, Marcía Porter, and Rosalyn Wright Floyd are pleased to present this special recital tour stop in Hattiesburg.

Dr. Colin McKenzie, director of the School of Music at The University of Southern Mississippi, expressed enthusiasm for the Connoisseurs Series, calling it “an enriching lineup designed to engage students, faculty, staff, and the community with world-renowned artists who bring their talents to our campus.” This year’s performances, he said, highlight a diversity of musical styles, “guiding audiences from the well-loved classics to the latest compositions across various musical forms.” McKenzie encouraged the community to attend, describing the series as an opportunity to immerse in the vibrant local music culture.

Next year, the Connoisseurs Series continues with Tommy Mesa, cello, and Yoon Lee, piano, on January 23, 2025, at 7:30 p.m. Cellist Tommy Mesa and pianist Yoon Lee have quickly become a powerful and collaborative force, recording a full album of contemporary works soon after they first met. With engagements ranging from performing a world premiere at a VIP wedding to their upcoming tour at venues including The Phillips Collection in Washington, DC, this cello-piano duo delights their audiences with a range of lyrical works from the traditional classical canon to unearthed gems by contemporary voices.

Then, on February 27 at 6 p.m., the Raschèr Saxophone Quartet featuring Southern Miss alums Christine Noll and Morgan Webster, internationally renowned, who have appeared regularly at major concert halls in Europe, Asia and the U.S., carrying on a tradition established in the 1930s by the pioneer of the classical saxophone and founding member of the quartet Sigurd Raschèr. He inspired many composers to write music especially for him, a tradition that continues with more than 300 composers dedicating music to the quartet. All of these composers have shared an enthusiasm for the four musicians’ unique homogeneous tone quality, virtuosity and dynamic interpretation of new and old music.

Finally, on April 9, 2025, the Connoisseurs Series concludes with the Shanghai Quartet. 

Over the past 40 years, the Shanghai Quartet has become one of the world’s foremost chamber ensembles. The Shanghai’s elegant style, impressive technique, and emotional breadth allows the group to move seamlessly between masterpieces of Western music, traditional Chinese folk music, and cutting-edge contemporary works. Recent performance highlights include performances at Carnegie Hall, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Freer Gallery (Washington, D.C.), and the Festival Pablo Casals in France, and Beethoven cycles for the Brevard Music Center, the Beethoven Festival in Poland, and throughout China. The Quartet also frequently performs at Wigmore Hall, the Budapest Spring Festival, Suntory Hall, and has collaborations with the NCPA and Shanghai Symphony Orchestras.  

The Connoisseurs Series is made possible by the annual support of the Mr. and Mrs. James Simrall, Jr. Arts Endowment. The Connoisseurs Series is a premiere event series representing each applied area (Brass, Jazz, Piano, Voice, and Woodwinds) with annual guest artist performances. These renowned performers augment the training our students regularly receive by the world-class faculty housed within the School of Music and add to the rich musical offerings presented annually to the Hattiesburg and regional community.