Chelsea Tipton told Port Arthur Rotarians a story Thursday that was part humorous, part epiphany.

The music director of the Symphony of Southeast Texas, son of two musicians and teachers, taught a course in music appreciation at the University of Western Michigan in Kalamazoo and thought he’d delivered the goods to young people who needed to know the basics in what good music is all about.

As he read through student reviews of his course, though, he encountered this stinging judgment from his one of his young charges: He was a good enough teacher, sure, but he was condescending. That hurt. But it was a lesson learned.

Maistro Tipton was fun and eminently approachable this week as he talked about May 11’s scheduled pops performance at the Sam and Linda Monroe Theatre at Lamar State College Port Arthur. The Symphony of Southeast Texas will travel from its Beaumont base to play in Port Arthur for the first time since Tipton took charge a decade ago. The concert — he said it would last slightly more than an hour — is free but seats are limited to the first 400 who show up.

Here’s how things have changed for Tipton over the years: In addition to being music director in the Golden Triangle, he’s the principal pops conductor in New Haven, Connecticut and has appeared with major orchestras around the country —Atlanta, Cleveland, Chicago, Detroit, Houston — and around the world — Palermo and Budapest, for example. He performed with Sting and — this had to be a satisfying mark of acceptance — earned citizen of the year plaudits in Beaumont.

He was a long way from Kalamazoo when he showed up as music director in Beaumont with a matching bow tie and cummerbund with the Texas flag on it.

Condescending, my foot!

Nowadays Tipton takes music to public schools and distant venues, and relishes his role as a conduit between great music and eager ears, no matter where they are found. The pops concert in Port Arthur will feature one selection with Tipton on clarinet and another with Sam Monroe himself conducting. So, yes, great music can be fun.

The program was selected by the maestro himself, and includes familiar pieces by popular composers. If this marks your first trip to the symphony, you won’t be entirely out of your element and should recognize “Summon the Heroes,” ”Lord of the Dance,” “Liberty Bell March” and “Amazing Grace.” There’s lots of common ground for newcomers.

Tipton will guide the audience through the selections and you can leave the tux at home: The symphony’s publicist said proper attire is “business casual” — collared shirts and slacks.

The Wilton and Effie Mae Hebert Foundation and Motiva Enterprises, which helped fund the performance, have earned our thanks.

Now: Dim the lights.