PEOPLE: SEMO BAND LEADER TO CREATE BOWL SHOWS

It's a long way from Southeast Missouri State University to the Hollywood Bowl, but Barry Bernhardt doesn't mind the journey.

Bernhardt, director of university bands at the school, will conduct a 1,500-piece massed band at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles Nov. 24 and 25.

Holiday travel is nothing new for Bernhardt, who regularly conducts halftime shows for college bowl games. Bernhardt also has been selected to choreograph five major college football bowl games -- Liberty, Alamo, Gator, Sugar and Orange bowls -- during the holiday season. He will choreograph the routines on his computer and e-mail the directions to Bowl Games of America, the Salt Lake City company that manages the halftime shows for various bowl games.

Bernhardt personally will conduct the Liberty Bowl halftime show in Memphis, Tenn., and the Orange Bowl in Miami.

Bernhardt said he started as a lackey doing assistant work and eventually proved himself and gained a bowl game. "It just kept snowballing."

Eventually he began working with Bowl Games of America and continues to conduct major halftime shows each year. "It's a lot of pressure in a short amount of time," he said. "You conduct 1,500 to 2,000 people in two rehearsals and sometimes it on national television but always in front of a live audience."

If Bernhardt were teaching at larger schools, he likely wouldn't have the time to commit to the shows, he said. "The adrenaline rush of conducting that many people in front of that big an audience is a real high."

This will mark the 13th year that Bernhardt has been involved in bowl game halftime shows. In that time, he has been involved in directing nearly 25 NCAA bowl game halftime shows.

Bernhardt will rehearse and conduct the massed band at the Hollywood Bowl with famed jazz musician, composer and conductor Quincy Jones.

"It's a nice way to spend Thanksgiving weekend," he said.

This marks the second consecutive year that Bernhardt has been picked to help conduct the event. Last year, Bernhardt worked with Lalo Schiffren, conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra and studio composer.

At Southeast, Bernhardt conducts the Golden Eagles Marching Band, the Southeast Show Band, the University Concert Band, the Studio Jazz Ensemble and the Jazz Lab Band.

Bernhardt said he looks forward particularly to the Orange Bowl in early January. "I am taking my whole family to Miami," he said.

Bernhardt's daughter, Anne Marie, 12, will dance in the show along with 150 to 200 other dancers.

Bernhardt doesn't mind spending his holidays tuned in to the marching beat. "It keeps me off the streets," he said.