On Friday October 30, Longwood University junior Tyler Gage held his junior recital in Wygal Auditorium.
Gage, a music performance major within the Cook-Cole College of Arts and Sciences’ music department, is a trumpet player who during the recital was assisted by two faculty accompanists, Carole Harper and Teri Kidd, both playing the piano.
There were two sets of music played on Friday night, the first being “Sonata for Trumpet and Piano” by Kent Kennan in three different tones with Carole Harper assisting on the piano in the background. The first was with strength and vigor, where Gage displayed his trumpet playing skills in a strong way. The second was a bit slower as he played more openly and the music was calming and peaceful. The third tone was played at a faster pace and displayed more energy and passion to conclude the first half of the recital.
For the second half of the recital, Gage played “Trumpet Sonate” by Paul Hindemith, again in three different sets accompanied by Teri Kidd on piano. The first set was played with lots of force, the second with large sound movements and the third set was very slow and beautifully played. Gage concluded his junior recital with power and passion that was greeted with a standing ovation from the crowd.
Gage started playing the trumpet when he was in the sixth grade and chose Longwood University’s music department because of its many opportunities and small classes that are taught and advised by well-established and credentialed faculty and staff members.
Gage said, “The department has done an excellent job at training my playing, ear and knowledge of music through the curriculum. Overall the Recital went very well. We left everything on the stage.”
Leading up to the performance, he had to dedicate most of his life to preparing and practiced the recital music on his horn for about 12 to 16 hours a week without the accompanist by his side.
Regarding preparation, Gage said, “Carole and Teri are faculty accompanists. Through countless hours of rehearsal we were very comfortable with our pieces.”
The professor in charge of Gage’s lessons leading up to the recital was Professor George Tuckwiller III, an adjunct faculty member who specializes in teaching Gage’s instrument of choice, the trumpet, as well as the French horn. Gage received a one hour lesson every week from Tuckwiller because each student in the music department gets to spend an hour a week with a professor that shares the same instrument.
Gage said that lesson is where he did most of the “fine tuning” and is where he most improved his trumpet playing skills that led him to his stellar performance on Friday evening.
Tyler hopes to become a performing musician when he graduates from Longwood in May 2017.
On Friday, October 30, Longwood University junior Tyler Gage held his junior recital in Wygal Auditorium.
