The Southeast Missouri State University Marching Band will take its sound and Redhawk spirit to Ireland in 2028 after being selected to perform in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, part of the St. Patrick’s Festival in Dublin.
The invitation followed an extensive application and selection process, requiring recent performance videos, external letters of recommendation, detailed information about the band and its program, information about uniforms and performance plans. The St. Patrick’s Festival Creative and Development team and its music consultant reviewed the application.
Because space in the parade is limited, bands must meet established performance standards, and not every group that applies is selected.
“We are so honored and humbled by this invitation,” said Dr. Jim Daughters, associate professor of music and director of bands at SEMO. “This is a bucket-list trip for so many, and I’m excited that we get to share who we are as a band and University with the world.”
For many students who make the trip, the experience will mark their first time traveling internationally. Daughters said some students have never flown or traveled far outside Missouri.
“There is something transformational about experiencing another country and culture firsthand,” he said. “The food is different, the signs are different, the history is different, even the way you move through everyday life is different. You begin to understand that the world is much bigger than the place you know. And they get to experience all of that together while doing something they love. I think this will be one of those experiences they remember for the rest of their lives.”
The trip also gives the band an opportunity to represent SEMO, the Cape Girardeau community and the region before an international audience.
“We know that every time we put on the SEMO uniform, we are serving as ambassadors for the University,” Daughters said. “That is true whether we are performing here at Houck Stadium, traveling across the region or marching through the streets of Dublin. We represent Southeast Missouri State University, our community, our region and our state in the way we perform, the way we carry ourselves and the way we treat people.”
Experiences like performing in Dublin give SEMO students the chance to take the skills they develop on campus into new places and experiences. Students ready to find their fearless and create their own SEMO experience can learn more and apply at semo.edu/apply.