When Tyler Kemp looks at his own musical background, he sees a pitch-perfect path to his solo in Mississippi Symphony Orchestra’s opening Bravo concert.
Classical, folk and jazz piano all play a part in his personal musical mix, just as the styles weave a wonderful thread through Margaret Bonds’ Spiritual Suite. “Margaret Bonds’ piece is diverse in the same way,” Kemp said. “It requires classical facility, but also the ability to play in folk and jazz idioms. My diverse background, training, and experience make me an ideal performer of this piece.”
Kemp is the featured soloist in the opening Bravo concert of MSO’s 80th season — “A Season Spectacular.” In an evening promising “Orchestral Fireworks” in its very title, Kemp’s solo spotlight in Spiritual Suite offers a welcome and refreshing breather at the top of the concert’s second half — in-between the powerhouse selections of Maurice Ravel’s Bolero and Ottorino Respighi’s Pines of Rome. Richard Wagner’s Prelude and Love Death from his opera Tristan and Isolde opens the evening.
The concert is at 7:30 p.m. October 12 in the Madison High School Auditorium in Madison. Thalia Mara Hall in Jackson is temporarily closed for repairs.
This will mark Kemp’s second performance of the work with MSO. The first was last spring at Cade Chapel in Jackson, with much smaller accompaniment. “It’ll be the full orchestra this time, instead of just a handful of strings” said Maestro Crafton Beck, who arranged the work for this concert.
Spiritual Suite carries within it the echoes of African American spirituals that will land with resounding, welcome comfort here in Mississippi. Composer/pianist Bonds (1913-1972) was one of the first Black composers and performers to achieve national recognition.
She based this work on the spiritual melodies and tunes handed down orally though generations in America. “The third movement is reminiscent of Debussy in places, uses Latin rhythms, gospel harmonies, and ends in grandiose classical style,” Kemp relayed. “To bring it full circle, what better place to perform this music than here in Mississippi. Classical is alive and well here, as well as our rich tradition of gospel and blues.”
Kemp originally hails from Louisville, MS. His mother made him take piano lessons growing up, that is until she couldn’t stop him. He wanted to do it. He played piano at the First Methodist Church in town, and he learned to play guitar early on, saying it was his, “gateway to improvisation.” His twin brother, Jordan, is also a good musician, playing the euphonium growing up, and in college.
Kemp played trumpet in addition to piano, and thought to major in trumpet at Mississippi College until Music Department Chair and pianist Angela Willoughby steered him back to the piano for its career potential. Sure enough, “Doors keep opening for me to play,” Kemp said, “and I’m honored to do it.”
Kemp got his degrees at Mississippi College and just finished his 10th year on the faculty there. His expertise is Collaborative Piano. Kemp directs the students’ Worship Collective and serves as the music director at Bellwether Church.
His background includes a musical streak on his mother’s side of the family, and she continues to play piano. “She still likes to get the hymnbook out and play.”
Kemp is married to Shellie Brown Kemp, MSO concertmaster now on sabbatical. They have a daughter, Zoey, who already has her own 1/16-size violin. Their son, Liam, is brand new on the scene, arriving at the start of September. It looks like the musical lineage is a given.
The proud dad shared, “Growing up in household with so much music, it seems inevitable that they would develop some sort of love for it.”