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Two years ago - my freshman year in college - international composer James M. Stephenson visited VCU and spoke in our trumpet studio masterclass. In this masterclass, Stephenson talked about connections and the importance of developing healthy connections with your friends and colleagues, particularly in college. He then proceeded to draw a tree depicting connections between people he met in college and earlier, and how his career has thrived based off of those connections, all the way to how he ended up composing the "Rextreme" trumpet concerto for our trumpet professor, International Yamaha Performing Artist Rex Richardson, who reiterated all of Stephenson's points as he made them.
To me, it made perfect sense; music is about community and contribution, and the relationships we make through music are easily the most incredible relationships ever made. So of course those relationships would foster special opportunities beyond our wildest dreams if we simply let them grow. What I did not know was how soon it would happen.
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A little under an hour before the recital, I walk into the recital hall with my accompanist Roderick. Jon and David arrive shortly after, setting up cameras and microphones and taping down cables. The string sextet and part of the trumpet ensemble comes in one by one as my accompanist warms up on the piano, and my friend John walks in, who flew all the way from Texas to visit VCU and to see my recital. My good friend Kelly - knowing that she could not attend the recital - peeps in for the sole purpose of wishing me good luck. The rest of the trumpet ensemble files in, and the ensemble finds their places in the balcony. Audience members are entering, and brothers of Kappa Kappa Psi are ushering, passing out programs for the recital. Across the street, other brothers are ensuring that everything is ready for the reception following my recital.
Low brass professor Dr. Walter enters about 5 minutes before the recital looking for a program. "We're all out," says the ushers. "All out," I thought? As I stood ready to begin my first piece of the recital, I looked out into the crowd, shocked. People from all walks of my life - whose paths crossed mine as early as 1992 on the day I was born - were in attendance for this event, ranging in age from as young as 6 to as wise as the 60's. The audience bustled with life as I played the first few notes of the recital. Even after the first piece, more people continued to enter the hall to see me perform.
"Marcus! How'd your recital go?"
Folks, the truth of the matter is that I don't even remember how the recital went; all I could think of during the entire event was how I could not believe the love and support that was in the room during the entire course of the recital, before the recital, and after the recital had ended. It was because of the connections, relationships, and opportunities that occurred in my life that this recital was an unforgettable one. No one will ever understand how much it means to me. If anyone at the recital ever needed any confirmation of the power of music and its community, they saw it that night. I know that I certainly did. Tears of joy trickle down my face as I write this. Thank you.
The sharing of media from this recital is highly likely. Check back on this blog over the next few days for edits to include audio and/or video clips from the recital.
Opening Fanfare (audio): https://soundcloud.com/msgrantmusic/imperial-intrada-and-fanfare
Closing Selection (video):
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