Sigma Alpha Iota

AFTER THE STORMS Joplin Memorial Program Inspires Composer By Nikki Patrick For the Pittsburg, KS Morning Sun W hen Hubert Bird's hometown, Joplin, MO, was struck by the May 2011 tornado, the composer wept not only in tears but in music. The result is "The Other Side of Storm," which was premiered as part of the  city's commemoration of the first anniversary of the tragedy. It was presented Oct. 4 during "Tragedy and the American Spirit," a joint program pulling in the talents of the Pittsburg State University Wind Ensemble, Southeast Kansas Symphony Orchestra, University Chorale and the seventh and eighth grade chorus from the Pittsburg Community Middle School. The composer [a member of SAI's Composer Bureau] said he was overwhelmed by the sheer enormity of the Joplin tornado. "This was one of the most devastating tornados to ever hit a U.S. city," Bird said. "Onethird of Joplin was wiped out. If that tornado had struck, seven miles west and 22 miles north, nothing would be left of Pittsburg. Even the university would be taken." Bird said that he waited until around June 1 to visit Joplin because he didn't want to get in the way of relief efforts. "At the corner of 26th and Maiden Lane I just wept," he said. "It's still hard for me to drive down some of the streets. I live in Baxter Springs now, but Joplin is home, I was born there. I SEAN STEFFEN/THE MORNING SUN Composer Hubert Bird responded to Joplin's May 2011 tornado by creating "The Other Side of Storm" as a gift to the residents of his beloved hometown. The piece was performed in October as part of a memorial program. looked at my hospital. One of my doctors had been working there that day. I looked southwest and my doctor's office, dentist's office, all no longer standing." Bird mourns all those who died in the storm, but one face stands out, that of Will Norton, who was on his way home after graduating from Joplin High School when the tornado took him. "He was a good-looking kid with the fire of intelligence in his eyes," Bird said. "I was for many years a college teacher and you could see in his eyes all the verve for life and a promising future. His face was constantly on TV as they looked for him. They found him three days later, killed. This image just burned itself into my mind's eye." Needing someone to talk to, he called an old friend, Col. Lesley Bryan Shelburne Jr., whose 30-year career in music included leading the U.S. Military Academy Band at West Point  and 10 years of leadership of the United States Army Band in Washington, D.C. "As I was talking, Bryan stopped me and said, 'Looks like there's a new Bird work in there,' " the composer said. Bird made an appointment to meet with Rob O'Brian, Joplin Chamber of Commerce president. "I said, 'I'm an artist and I can't give you a lot of money, but I can give you a work',' " Bird said. "Rob's words were, 'This is an excellent idea and exactly what Joplin needs.' " The composer's works range from solo songs to works for symphony orchestras, including the official anthem of the U.S. Bicentennial celebration in 1976 and his "Constitution Overture" which honored the 200th anniversary JOPLIN continued on page 38 Topeka Alumnae Chapter Gathers Donations for Joplin I n the late afternoon of May 22, 2011, an EF5 multiple-vortex tornado struck the town of Joplin, MO.  During its time on the ground, the tornado cut a path that was up to a mile wide.  As many as 158 to 160 people were killed by the tornado and around 1,000 injured. It was the deadliest tornado in America since 1947.  St. John's Hospital was heavily damaged, and Joplin High School was destroyed. SAIs in Topeka, KS, remembered well the mile-wide tornado that had struck the campus of Washburn University 45 years earlier, and they TOPEKA continued on page 38 8 Joplin High School band members perform with instruments and equipment donated through the Topeka Alumnae Chapter. PAN PIPES WINTER 2013 sai-national.org winter 13 PP.indd 8 2/12/2013 2:15:01 PM

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