By Katie Willis, Contributing Writer
Susquehanna presented its first guest recital of the spring semester with special guests Kenneth Thompkins and Zhihua Tang on Jan. 29.
Thompkins was is the Principal Trombone of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Prior to this position, Thompkins has been in the Buffalo Philharmonic and the Florida Orchestra and performed with the New World Symphony.
Thompkins is also a former participant in the Detroit Symphony’s African American Fellowship Program, where he has been a mentor to several Orchestra Fellows over the years.
Thompkins first visited Susquehanna last October, when he led workshops and master classes for woodwind, brass and percussion students. Thompkins also met with music education majors in the Brass Methods class and worked with the University Symphonic Band.
Tang is an assistant professor of collaborative piano at Michigan State and will be giving a lecture as well as several master classes with Susquehanna piano students during her visit.
Tang has had an active music career around the world and has also been acclaimed for her versatility and artistry on the piano.
Thompkins and Tang began the recital with “Piece Concertante” by French com
poser Carlos Salzedo, which highlighted the harmonies of trombone and piano throughout the piece.
Prior to his second song, “Sonata for Solo Trombone” by American composer Barney Childs, Thompkins explained his interest in Childs as an artist.
Thompkins spoke on his admiration for Childs’ unique combination of poetry and literature with music. He further noted his attraction to the distinctive motion in the second movement of the piece.
Thompkins and Tang’s last song before intermission brought back the accompaniment of the piano for “Sonata for Trombone and Piano” by American composer Alec Wilder in five untitled motions.
Following the intermission, Thompkins spoke shortly on conductor and songwriter American composer William Grant Still. Still became the first African American to have a major orchestra play one of his compositions, “Afro-American Symphony.” He was also the first African American to conduct a leading American orchestra.
Many of his works reflect his concerns about the position of African Americans in society, including Thompkins’ selected piece “Songs of Separation.”
An examination of the poems “Idolatry,” “Poeme,” “Parted” and “A Black Pierrot” show a careful ordering by the composer. The most complex of the four start and end the cycle while in the center, a folk-like poem is contrasted by love lyrics.
This arrangement offers a balanced tension and contrast to paint a stimulating display.
The last two songs, “Precious Lord” by American composer Thomas Dorsey and “Every Tome I Feel The Spirit,” embellished the hub of soul music.
As Thompkins prepared his instrument, the musician remarked that he believed everyone should listen to soul music and cited how soul music has the ability to touch the listener and allow them to truly feel and experience the musicality.
Music faculty at Susquehanna spoke to Thompkins’ influence on students and the community.
Eric Hinton, director of bands, said, “Thompkins is an excellent trombonist and very fine musician.”
“I invited him to work with our students because he is such an amazing musician and is notably one of the few African Americans serving as a principal player in a major American symphony orchestra,” Hinton continued.
Attendees who were not as specialized in music also cited their enjoyment of the performance.
“I don’t know much about the trombone as an instrument, but I really enjoyed the performance,” sophomore Megan Shaffer said. “[Thompkins] seems like an outstanding musician.”