Saturday, March 17, 2018

Missouri Southern Foundation officially closes on Joplin Public Library building

(From Southern News Service)

A group of students from Missouri Southern State University recently spent time jazzing it up in a recording studio for a promotional CD.

Dr. Phillip Wise, director of music education and jazz studies at Missouri Southern, highlighted the project while speaking to the Missouri Southern Board of Governors on Friday, March 16.

“There was an interest in putting together a compilation CD of the various ensembles on campus,” said Wise. “All of the ensemble directors were invited to record if we’d like, to create a CD for promotional and recruiting purposes.”

In December, four of the university’s jazz combos came together to record tracks at Winterwood Recording Studios in Eureka Springs, Ark.

“The intent was to record three or four pieces, but we had 13 prepared,” said Wise. “We recorded all of them in just six hours. I spoke to Dr. Keith Talley, chair of the Music Department, and asked if we could expand the project into a CD of just the jazz collective, and he agreed.”

Titled “The Jazz Collective,” the CD features the students performing a variety of jazz standards. Wise himself sat in on one track on trombone, and senior Bailey Roach lent her vocal talents.

“It’s rare for students to actually go into a recording studio, so it was a very unique experience for them,” said Wise. “It’s a different experience altogether, as they’re listening to one another play through headphones rather than sitting right next to each other.”

Wise said he returned to the studio four times this spring to work with the engineer for the post-production process.

The Jazz Collective will perform at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 19, in Webster Hall’s Corley Auditorium. The performance will be free, but those attending are encouraged to bring canned goods or other non-perishable items for donation to Crosslines Ministries.

In other business, the board learned that U.S. Rep. Billy Long has signed a bipartisan letter encouraging an increase in funding for the Federal TRIO programs in Fiscal Year 2019.

Missouri Southern’s Project Stay provides comprehensive resources for students working to complete their bachelor’s degrees and transition to graduate school or professional life. The Educational Talent Search identifies and encourages students in grades 6 through 12 with potential for success at the post-secondary level. Upward Bound primarily serves high-school students who will be first-generation college students and/or come from low-income families.

“Congressman Long understands the value and impact the TRIO programs have on our district and he will be personally advocating to House leadership regarding funding,” said Darren Fullerton, vice president for student affairs.

The board also heard from Executive Vice President Dr. Brad Hodson, who said the Missouri Southern Foundation has officially closed on the former Joplin Public Library building at 300 S. Main St.

Hodson said work will soon begin on a fundraising campaign that will help bring an academic program to a new home in downtown Joplin.

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