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Joshua Thompson in Concert
January 19 @ 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm
American Masters: Joshua Thompson in Concert
Friday, January 19th at 7:30 pm
Tickets: $30 & $24 for REP Members
Celebrated pianist, music sociologist, teaching artist, and producer Joshua A. Thompson exclusively performs classical masterworks by composers of African descent who changed the course of classical music in America. Thompson’s musical program encompasses influences of classic European tradition, Negro spirituals, Jazz, and rhythms of Africa found in the extraordinary works of African American composers Florence Price, Margaret Bonds, and William Grant Still. A passionate performer with exceptional depth of knowledge, Thompson guides his audience through the historical context of each composer’s times, connecting with warmth and beauty their astounding contributions to the world of music.
Featuring Escape To Create’s Artist-in-Residence
Joshua “Sock Joplin” Thompson, Classical Pianist/Music Sociologist
Pianist, music sociologist, and occasional trumpeter, Joshua Thompson is an active change agent in the classical music world. Performing as Joshua “Sock Joplin” Thompson, he is recognized on a national scale for his expertise on classical composers of African descent and the inherent cultural connectivity in Black Arts movements. A recipient of multiple awards, citations, and national residencies including the 2020 Beckman Emerging Artist Fellow of the Arts Council of Indianapolis, he successfully completed his residency at the Africana Studies Center for Music and Society at the Berklee School of Music in Boston with Dr. Bill Banfield followed by a performing and teaching residency at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, WA. Thompson was recently appointed Creative Partner in Residence with the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra through 2024. As creator of the 2020 Best Music Podcast from the Black Podcasting Awards, his award-winning podcast series, Melanated Moments in Classical Music has been featured in the Miami Times and the British publication, Alternative Classical. Over seven seasons, Melanated Moments has a growing audience in over 110 countries and over 2000 cities worldwide. Thompson has worked with Pulitzer Prize winner Anthony Davis, renowned clarinetist Anthony McGill, and legendary operatic soprano, Angela Brown.
Partners in Celebrating Artistic Excellence
Seaside’s nationally recognized multidisciplinary arts residency Escape To Create brings innovative musicians, writers, filmmakers and artists center stage at The REP Theatre each year. For additional information on Seaside’s unique cultural legacy and Escape To Create’s 2024 guest artists visit www.escape2create.org