On his first visit to Missouri Southern, Justin Kolb promises to deliver uplifting, empowering and hilarious music clinics to students.

Although he grew up I Indiana, Kolb visits the Ozarks to lecture and meet with students interested in music and theater.

Kolb connects student involvement in sports to involvement in music.

“I place a high priority on students’ participation in athletics as well as music,” Kolb said.

Kolb says once a young person learns the languages of music, his/her brain processes information differently than those not learning about music. By starting at a young age, children can develop skills early on that help in the future.

“They begin developing skills early on that result in better problem solving, more effective listening, learning to compromise, and many more survival skills in life. These skills are the bare minimum necessary to become hired by a company or corporation,” Kolb said.

Kolb returns to the Ozarks; however, this is his first trip to Southern.

“I’m delighted to be here at the invitation of Vivian Le?n, executive director of the international piano competition here at Southern! It’s quite famous ad these fierce competitors come from around the globe. It’s like the Olympics,” Kolb said.

While at the University, Kolb will focus students on careers in music. He says actors and musicians focus long hours practicing, rehearsing and taking private lessons. They also perform with others and in front of large audiences and forget to concentrate on the aspect of career development.

For himself, Kolb didn’t consider a musical career at first.

“My parents signed me up for piano lessons at age four,” Kolb said.

He said he was too young to think about a career in music until he won first place in a local contest.

“The prize was a solo appearance playing a concerto by Joseph Haydn with the Gary Indiana Symphony. By the end of the first page in the first rehearsal with them, I was sold!, Kolb said.

The programs for schools and university students will be Thursday, April 24. School programs are Friday, April 25, 9:00AM and 10:30 AM, Webster Hall.