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Three University of Missouri School of Music students will have their original music compositions performed by the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (SLSO) at a special concert at 8 p.m. on May 13, 2026 at Powell Hall in St. Louis.
This concert will feature works by Mon Ieong Cheok Kai, a master’s degree student from Macau, China; Dean Wibe, a master’s degree student from Cedar Rapids, Iowa; and Dominick DeStefano, a master’s degree student from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. They were selected through an annual composers workshop in a collaboration between the SLSO and the Mizzou New Music Initiative (MNMI). The program is funded by the Sinquefield Charitable Foundation.
The new musical compositions to be performed include:
- Self-Balance by Mon Ieong Cheok Kai, which is inspired by the text ‘When reality bites, embrace it with grace.’
- Leaves strung from webs by Dean Wibe, which interprets the phenomenon of nature that causes a singular leaf to dangle a few feet above the ground, strung from the strand of a spider’s web.
- MASSES by Dominick DeStefano is a fantasy on several hymn tunes that reflect the great masses of sound moving through the orchestra.
Each year, three composers are selected to write new works to be premiered by the Symphony. In the fall semester, the Symphony reads the works in a private session for the students; following a revision period in the winter, the Symphony performs the final versions of the works at a public concert in the spring. The May 13 concert starts at 8 p.m. and is free and open to the public.
“These collaborations are incredibly valuable for Mizzou student composers as they gain experience writing for and having their music performed by musicians of the highest caliber,” said Stefan Freund, MNMI Artistic Director. “The composers are provided with an archival recording of their performance, which can be used for their portfolio to expand their career. These collaborations are also an important part of SLSO’s educational mission as they provide young composers with the opportunity to create new works, growing the contemporary repertoire for orchestra.”
For more information on the collaboration between SLSO and MNMI, click here.
To stay up to date with all Mizzou New Music Initiative announcements, follow them on Instagram and Facebook: @MizzouNewMusic