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Kenneth Thompkins is an Associate Professor at Michigan State University College of Music, specializing in trombone. He has held the position of Principal Trombone with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Neeme Järvi and has previous appointments with the Buffalo Philharmonic, Florida Orchestra, and New World Symphony Orchestra. Through his career, he has performed with prominent ensembles, including the New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, and Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Thompkins is passionate about nurturing young talent and actively engages in performing masterclasses and recitals at esteemed institutions such as the Curtis Institute of Music, University of Michigan, and Eastman School of Music. He recorded 'Sonatas, Songs, Spirituals,' which features works by Alec Wilder, William Grant Still, and Philip Wharton, and won the American Prize in Instrumental Performance for 2018-2019. Recently, he performed as a soloist with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and Chineke! Orchestra, and he premiered the trombone concerto 'Troubled Water' by Carlos Simon with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in 2023.
Department of Psychology