Marqual Littlejohn has a cherished childhood memory of his late mother’s love for the music of legendary jazz trumpeter Louis Armstrong. As a fifth grader, he wanted to play in the school band. He chose the trumpet, which wasn’t an easy instrument for him—at least not at first.
“I knew that my mother loved that instrument so much,” Littlejohn said, “I really wanted to make her happy at the time.”
Littlejohn has grown significantly in his trumpet playing skills and now is one of a select few who advanced to the live round of the National Trumpet Competition, one of the premier musical competitions for trumpet players in the U.S.
Littlejohn is one of just 60 undergraduate students from various colleges, universities and conservatories across the nation to advance to the competition’s live performance round. He’s the first ever from Anderson University.
Littlejohn will perform Alexandra Pakhmutova’s Trumpet Concerto in the competition taking place March 19-22 at the University of Iowa. The concerto was written early in the Russian composer’s career and reflects the bold, optimistic spirit of post-war Soviet music.
“When I read about the piece, something just clicked,” Littlejohn said. “I’m not sure what it was, but there was a lot that I could find from that story, from the adversity I’ve had to deal 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 foot forward and trying to obtain my degree, and just to do right by my mother, though she’s no longer here physically.”
In dealing with his mother’s passing during his childhood and the deaths of other family members over the years, Littlejohn finds solace in music.
“When 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,” he said.
Littlejohn, who has played in Anderson’s wind symphony, jazz fusion combo, jazz big band, and pep band, feels that if it weren’t for his professors and the many opportunities and resources Anderson University has offered him, he would not have gotten as far as he has.
“I’m grateful to Anderson University for providing these top-notch quality experiences for me and my colleagues,” said Littlejohn, whose goal is to consistently improve his musicianship.
“The music that we read—it’s not only just about hitting every single note, or being very articulate—but it’s more so about what do you think this piece is about by sitting here and playing it,” Littlejohn said, adding “And can you draw something into your life that can make this musical moment near and dear to your heart?”
Trumpet Professor Chris Imhoff of the South Carolina School of the Arts at Anderson University, said, “This is Marqual’s first year here at Anderson University 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. 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.”