Southern Miss Connoisseurs Series Features World-Class Artists in Free Concerts
Mon, 01/26/2026 - 01:06pm | By: Mike Lopinto
Three Reeds Duo
The University of Southern Mississippi School of Music continues its Connoisseurs Series, which offers performances by world-class guest artists for the community.
On Feb. 13 at 6 p.m. in Marsh Auditorium, the “Three Reeds Duo” will take the stage. Co-founded by Leah and Paul Forsyth, the oboe and saxophone duo is a unique chamber ensemble that has performed for audiences on three different continents. Joining the duo for this special performance is flutist Stephen Clark.
Clark, a recipient of the Sir James Galway Rising Star Award, has given more than 1,000 performances across six continents and made his New York recital debut at Carnegie Hall in 2018. Thanks to the Mr. and Mrs. James Simrall Jr. Arts Endowment, Connoisseurs Series concerts are presented at no charge to the public.
Dr. Colin McKenzie, director of the School of Music at Southern Miss, invites the community to engage with the series.
“This year’s performances are don’t-miss events across varied musical styles,” McKenzie said. “Our already thriving arts community is enhanced by world-renowned performers of this caliber, and we invite everyone to enjoy these free events.”
Formed in 2005, the “Three Reeds Duo” has built a repertoire ranging from baroque and classical transcriptions to contemporary concert literature. The duo has performed in a variety of venues all over the world, ranging from World Saxophone Congresses to International Double Reed Society Conventions, chamber music series and collegiate concert halls.
Born in Glasgow, Scotland, Clark studied at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, the Royal Northern College of Music and in Switzerland with Sir James Galway. He has performed solo recitals at the conventions of the British Flute Society and the National Flute Association, as well as the Sir James Galway Flute Festival in Switzerland, and has appeared in concerts throughout the United States.
Clark has performed alongside artists including Annie Lennox, Andrea Bocelli and pop band McFly. His recordings have been featured on Classic FM and released on the Amadeus, Linn, Voyage and Naxos labels, and he has broadcast live on BBC Radio 3 and Northern Ireland’s 7FM. He is a voting member of the Recording Academy and has appeared on screen in the BBC series Desperate Romantics and ITV’s Miss Marple: The Secret of Chimneys. Clark is a Yamaha Artist and performs exclusively on a 14-karat gold handmade Yamaha flute.
The Connoisseurs Series continues March 3 at 7:30 p.m. in Marsh Auditorium with a performance by the Ariel Quartet. Known for its virtuosity, musical insight and impassioned performances, the Ariel Quartet has earned international acclaim for more than 25 years. Formed when its members were teenagers, the ensemble was recently named recipient of the prestigious Cleveland Quartet Award presented by Chamber Music America. In addition to an active international touring schedule, the quartet serves as faculty quartet-in-residence at the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music.
The Connoisseurs Series is made possible through the annual support of the Mr. and Mrs. James Simrall Jr. Arts Endowment. The series represents each applied area within the School of Music — brass, jazz, piano, voice and woodwinds — through annual guest artist performances. These concerts enhance student training provided by the school’s world-class faculty and enrich the cultural offerings available to the Hattiesburg and regional community.