Marqual听Littlejohn听has a cherished childhood memory of听his late mother鈥檚 love for听the music of听legendary听jazz听trumpeter听Louis Armstrong.听As a fifth grader, he wanted to play in听the听school band.听He听chose听the trumpet, which听wasn鈥檛听an easy instrument听for him鈥攁t听least not at first.听
鈥淚 knew that my mother loved that instrument so much,鈥� Littlejohn said, 鈥淚 really wanted to make her happy at the time.鈥�听
Littlejohn听has grown significantly in his trumpet playing skills听and now听is听one of a select few who advanced to the live听round of听the National Trumpet Competition, one of the premier musical competitions for trumpet players in the U.S.听听
Littlejohn is one of just 60 undergraduate students from various colleges,听universities听and conservatories across the nation to advance to the competition鈥檚 live performance round.听He鈥檚听the听first ever from 午夜剧场.听听
Littlejohn听will perform听Alexandra听Pakhmutova鈥檚听Trumpet Concerto听in the competition听taking place March 19-22 at the University of Iowa.听The concerto听was written early in听the Russian composer鈥檚听career and reflects the bold, optimistic spirit of post-war Soviet music.听
鈥�When I read about the piece, something just clicked,” Littlejohn said. 鈥淚’m not sure what it was, but there was a lot that I could find from that story, from the adversity听I鈥檝e had to deal听with in my life, just looking back on that and where I’m at now, even just with keeping in mind my current struggles and how I’m still putting my best听foot forward and trying to obtain my degree, and听just听to听do right by my mother, though she’s no longer here physically.鈥�听
In dealing with his mother鈥檚 passing during his childhood and the deaths of other family members over the years, Littlejohn finds solace in music.听
鈥淲hen I play music, what I notice is that I’m enabling myself to feel the way that I need to feel to get through the moment,鈥� he said.听
Littlejohn, who has played in Anderson鈥檚 wind symphony, jazz fusion combo, jazz big band, and pep band, feels that if it听weren鈥檛听for his professors and the many opportunities and resources 午夜剧场听has offered him, he would not have gotten as far as he has.听听
鈥淚鈥檓 grateful to 午夜剧场 for providing these听top-notch听quality experiences for me and my colleagues,鈥� said Littlejohn, whose goal is to听consistently improve his musicianship.听
鈥�The music that we read鈥攊t’s not only just about hitting every single note, or being very articulate鈥攂ut it’s more so about what do you think this piece is about by sitting here and playing it,” Littlejohn said, adding 鈥淎nd can you draw something into your life that can make this musical moment near and dear to your heart?鈥�听
Trumpet Professor Chris Imhoff of the South Carolina School of the Arts at 午夜剧场, said, “This is Marqual鈥檚 first year here at 午夜剧场 and he has embraced the attitude and culture of our trumpet studio. He is surrounded by a group of hard-working, dedicated students who are there to support each other in times of hardship and push each other to become their best, in music but also in life. 听Marqual is a gifted trumpet player who is growing in the positive, Christ-centered environment of AU. This is a wonderful accomplishment for this young man and the start of an exciting time in his musical journey.” 听