Asbury junior and music performance major Mitchell Robertson has been playing the bass trombone for six years and the tenor trombone for over eight years. These six years have given him the musical background he needs to stand up on the stage of the Jameson Recital Hall and play a collection of pieces that he has thoughtfully chosen for his junior recital.
The songs that have been chosen reflect the person he has become, especially during his time at Asbury University. Robertson was introduced to the trombone by his mentor, who later encouraged Roberton to attend Asbury. After moving between Canada, North Carolina and Georgia until college, music has become a source of solace as he lives and goes to school far from home.
The music that Robertson has chosen are not limited to songs composed for the bass trombone; he is drawing from pieces for the cello and tuba to challenge himself and enhance the sound for the audience. The songs designed for the cello bring a more mellow-sounding palette, whereas the songs written for the tuba create a brighter sound due to the higher register.
These polars of bright and mellow go directly with his idea of the recital. “My goal is to be as lovely-sounding and as dark-sounding as I can,” Robertson said. These two separate sounds fill the thematic molds of what he intends to convey. There will be songs that sound angry and frustrated throughout the recital, whereas others have a more extravagant, positive sound.
His parents, who will be in town from Ontario, Canada, will be sitting in the crowd of Jameson cheering him on. He has yet to see them in person since coming to Asbury, so this will be a chance for them to see his growth up close. One of the reasons he chose the songs in such a thoughtful order; specifically the last song, was how he wanted to leave his parents and their experience in the auditorium. Robertson said, “The ending of this is big–I want them to leave amazed.”
When talking about the last song of the recital, Robertson glowed with his obvious passion for music. He claimed that the last song was specifically picked to make the people in the room walk away amazed, more than just his parents but the entire audience. His humble love for the power of music was apparent as he said he did not want them to be amazed by his talent but instead by the music.
He paraphrased Hans Christian Anderson and referenced his girlfriend, who says this often, “When words fail, music speaks.” Robertson emphasized the quality that music has of bringing qualities and feelings out of people while also giving and putting more into them. These qualities are those that even he struggles to put into words, continuing to push his point of music’s power in his and others’ lives.
“That’s one of my favorite things about playing music, that I can express myself. This music I have chosen will help people understand how I feel as a person and the things I enjoy,” Robertson said.
As Robertson talked about the power of music, the light in his eyes changed, and his hands gestured to emphasize music’s power and effect on him. He claimed that music can express and elevate emotions and help people relate to others. By performing songs that possess this power, a clear picture of who Mitchell Robertson is and what he is passionate about will become unmistakably recognizable.
The recital will be Monday, Feb. 19, from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in Jameson Recital Hall.
Feature image by Rebecca Hedman.