Join us as we honor longtime St. Louis music journalist and musician Dean Minderman at this very special concert featuring the Mizzou New Music Initiative. Minderman passed away in September 2021. For the 11 years before his passing, he was the voice of the Mizzou New Music Initiative (MNMI) blog and Twitter profile. As part of Slay & Associates’ team, Minderman worked tirelessly to promote MNMI’s activities. A graduate of Mizzou’s journalism program (B.M. 1979), he combined his love of writing with his musical talents.

Minderman wrote many articles for The Riverfront Times, NewMusicBox, and other publications. He was also a staple of the jazz and blues scene in his native St. Louis, playing piano and keys in multiple bands. His most significant contribution to the city’s musical scene was St. Louis Jazz Notes, a blog he maintained for over 16 years that chronicled upcoming events and rising artists on both the jazz and new music scene in St. Louis and nationally. Proceeds from the concert will be dedicated to carrying on the St. Louis Jazz Notes blog through Jazz St. Louis.

This tribute concert will include three pieces commissioned in honor of Dean Minderman, composed by MNMI students, including Provinciana by Santiago Beis, Night Blossoms by Ben Colagiovanni and Romance of the Worms by Emily Shaw.

The Mizzou New Music Ensemble is made up of University of Missouri graduate students under the direction of Mizzou New Music Initiative Postdoctoral Fellow Yoshiaki Onishi, who is also the Ensemble’s Artistic Director. The members of the 2021-22 Mizzou New Music Ensemble are: Valentina Arango Sánchez, flute; Andrew Wiele, clarinet; Johanny Veiga Barbosa, violin; Andy Lewis, violoncello; Jordan Nielsen, percussion; Stephen Landy, percussion; Eve Werger, piano and Daniel Fitzpatrick, piano.

Provinciana by Santiago Beis
Night Blossoms by Ben Colagiovanni
Romance of the Worms by Emily Shaw
After Hours by Robyne Sieh
City Swing by Jack Snelling