Ted Talks, Pine View Orchestra concerts, or St. Armands Circle; home is where the music is for senior Matrick Thorpe. As any smart musician would do, Thorpe’s took his time in choosing the best place to go with his plans to major in both Psychology and Music Performance. In the end, he chose to go to the University of Florida for Psychology while taking online classes with the Berklee College of Music. However, before he leaves for university, there’s an exciting history of music excellence that shines from Thorpe’s elementary days up to now for him to reminisce.
“I found that I quite liked the sound of violins…until I heard a cello. Something just resonated in me, and I knew I wanted to learn,” Thorpe said.
So, to keep that sound going, he traded his free time during lunch for an hour in Chris Mink’s orchestra class. Between observing the class and spending all the time he could practicing, the cello became not just Thorpe’s hobby, but his specialty.
Beyond being “his thing,” Thorpe’s relationship to music is constantly growing and evolving.
“I would like to dedicate time to practicing what I’ve learned so that it becomes second nature, not just nebulous knowledge floating around in my brain,” Thorpe said.
All aspects of music take a new direction, and Thorpe is ready for all of them. He recognizes music in all forms of media and has a real interest in composing, performance, and teaching as well as finding the perfect combination for his own future music.
As vast and interesting as music is in many ways, there are lots of pressures that come with a creative path. Thorpe has his own idea of how to navigate that side of things too.
“I don’t need to be famous, I just want to be known in the industry as dependable, skilled, and easy to work with,” Thorpe said.
His word of advice to others is to be kind to oneself. Music and its influences, in many ways, have helped him know that his schedule should include more time with his family. Somewhere in the future he has planned, there will likely be a bigger space for time with the people he loves.
In his words to other creators, Thorpe said, “Remember that whatever your creative vision is, your people are out there, but it may take a bit to find them…so keep honing your skills and focusing on what you love so when opportunity knocks, you’re ready.”