Q&A: ICO resident musician Joshua A. Thompson talks music, sociology and highlights of his career

This past year was monumental for musicians in Indianapolis, particularly Joshua A. Thompson.

The Indy-based pianist, sociologist and current Creative Partner in Residence at the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra spoke with the Recorder about his musical journey, reflecting on creative projects.

The responses have been edited for length and clarity.

Chloe McGowan: How’d you get into music, was there a particular moment you knew this would be your passion and your career?

Joshua A. Thompson: I started formal musical training on the piano when I was 5 and picked up trumpet at the age of 10. Music always came naturally to me. As a kid, I had a quick/short temper and a very sharp tongue, so music was critical in helping me express myself in a manner that allowed me to be open and honest without being disrespectful. I remember being 11 or 12 years old and telling my parents I knew what I was put on this earth for. Music has always been the language in which I communicate best. It’s the sole priority of my life and I feel equally honored and humbled to be walking, living and thriving in my purpose.

McGowan: What made you interested in the sociology side of music? Can you explain a little how that works and the ways in which you incorporate that into your daily life and career?

Thompson: Sociology is the second love I found later in life as a student at DePauw University. Sociology became the field of study that gave me the vocabulary in which to articulate my worldview. For years, I wondered how the two would fit together until one day, the lightning bolt hit and I just sort of figured out how to use music to serve as the soundtrack for my academic and social interests in improving communities locally and abroad.

One way I’m able to do that is through the intense study of the lives and social conditions of Black classical composers/musicians past and present. Music takes a seemingly complex issue and translates it in a way that requires listeners to think critically without immediate commentary. It compels others to hear and feel deeply before forming verbal language to articulate that.

McGowan: What does music mean to you? Can you discuss the importance of music education in our society and culture?

Thompson: Music is everything to me. Music allows me to humanize myself while being cognizant that it also has the power to humanize others regardless of differences of any given nature. For that reason, music education is arguably one of the most necessary tools at humanity’s disposal. Yes, we can and should teach the theory, technique and mechanics of the field but equally important is using those tools to increase and enhance the emotional intelligence, critical thinking skills, and empathetic proclivities of all individuals regardless of age or background. Music, like all artistic expressions, taps into an inherent need we all have to emote, connect, and create an environment that upholds the permanence and sustainability of the collective human race. When we don’t acknowledge and prioritize that, we miss out on opportunities to cultivate and nurture the future leaders, organizers and humanitarians of the world.

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McGowan: It feels like “Black Keys: The Evolution of the Black Classical Arts” premiered only yesterday. Was that experience all you’d hoped for?

Thompson: Without a doubt, YES!!! From its inception as a solo piano work during the pandemic summer of 2020, Black Keys was always meant to be a full-scale production complete with orchestra, dancers, and an audio/visual component. The fact that it evolved much like the storyline of the show detailing the evolution of musical mastery from composers of African descent, reminds me it was always meant to be a successfully inspiring, impactful and necessary addition to my body of work. The inception of the production came about during a very dark period in my life. It was only through the love and support of the arts community that it was able to be transformed into something so beautiful with its impacts going far beyond the performance stage.

McGowan: You’re currently serving as the Creative Partner in Residence with the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra. Can you talk about that experience and how it’s shaping you as an artist?

Thompson: I’ve worked with a lot of arts organizations in Indy and I have to say, my experience with the ICO is close to the top of the list of my favorite and most beneficial partnerships. The ICO has worked very hard to forge sincere relationships with artists and communities over the past several seasons, and my tenure as Creative Partner in Residence is just one successful example of those efforts. Selfishly speaking, working with the ICO has done wonders for my career in regard to positioning myself as a somewhat prominent artist in the realm of Black classical music. Whether it be music education for youth in the community, programmatic development, execution, or alignment with the country’s leading orchestras… It’s all working for me, and I do my level best to leverage the opportunities for the benefit of others in addition to myself.

McGowan: You have worked with a lot of amazing and impressive music-based organizations over the years, what has been the highlight of your career or a moment that stands out to you?

Thompson: Being perfectly honest, every moment and opportunity is sincerely special to me. It’s one thing to have a dream of being a professional musician/scholar but it’s something else entirely to actually live that dream every day.

I’d have to say that my highlights thus far include residencies with famed composer William C. Banfield (founder of the Africana Studies Center for Music and Society at Berklee School of Music), working with operatic superstar Angela Brown, touring the country from coast to coast and having the opportunity to interview Pulitzer Prize winners in music along with forging friendships with peers and colleagues the world over.

For more information, visit icomusic.org/team/joshua-thompson or follow Thompson on Instagram.

Contact Arts & Culture Reporter Chloe McGowan at 317-762-7848. Follow her on X @chloe_mcgowanxx.