Nichole Thompson Artist Interview
Nichole Thompson, a Jamaican-American flutist, is a graduate Music Performance major at the Butler School of Music at the University of Texas at Austin. Nichole graduated from Bradley University with a Bachelor's of Music degree in Music Performance. In addition to Nichole's classical studies, she maintains an active social media presence with flute freestyle improvisations. Her freestyles have been recognized by artists including Jasmine Choi, Hans Zimmer, Lizzo, Lindsey Sterling, Black Violin, and Chloe Flower, as well as Black Entertainment TV, RapTv, and Genius Media Company.
Can you give us 5 career highlights?
One: Performing as a soloist with the Bradley Symphony Orchestra during my undergraduate years. I was so honored to be chosen as a Concerto-Aria winner not just once, but twice! I am so thankful for the amazing music faculty that pushed me towards setting big goals for myself.
Two: Attending the 2022 ARIA International Summer Academy was such a blast! I participated in ARIA online in 2021 because of COVID and I decided to apply again the following year because of how much I enjoyed it! This two week music intensive occurs at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts. I was able to learn, observe, and participate in masterclasses and lessons with esteemed professors from multiple universities. This festival expanded my knowledge of playing the flute as well as allowed me to make some lifelong friends in the music industry.
Three: Participating in the Collegiate Flute Choir at the 2022 National Flute Association Convention in Chicago, my hometown! This was my first NFA Convention and it was better than anything I could’ve imagined. I met so many flutists that inspired me and tried out some fabulous flutes presented in the exhibit hall. I even got to play a Contrabass flute!
Four: My viral TikTok videos! I feel so blessed to have over two hundred thousand followers on TikTok that have been following me on my musical journey starting from 2020. Social media has accelerated the growth of performing arts. The audience has gone beyond the confines of a building. My platform on social media has contributed to my growing passion towards building connections with people. It has opened the doors to many new opportunities for me including being able to work with some musicians remotely. I have been able to use social media as a tool to get my music out to the world and to also make contacts with people who I can collaborate with. My content has been recognized by artists including Jasmine Choi, Hans Zimmer, Lizzo, Lindsey Sterling, Black Violin, and Chloe Flower, as well as Black Entertainment TV, RapTv, and Genius Media Company.
Five: Performing one of my flute freestyle in front of thousands of people at the 2024 Berleezy Ball! Recently, I won the great opportunity to perform at Berlin’s (a popular Youtuber) Ball in Dallas, Texas. I never would have thought that the videos I create on social media would lead to an opportunity like this. I performed for many well-known musical artists and almost a thousand people live at the venue, as well as eight thousand people that tuned into the live streamed performance! I am eternally grateful to Berlin and his team for this unforgettable life changing experience.
How about 3 pivotal moments that were essential to creating the artist that you've become?
One: The Pandemic allowed me to branch out and use social media as a tool to engage with people and share my music with the world. Social media also inspired me to explore other genres, and I decided to create “flute freestyles.”
Two: My first concerto performance was a transformative moment for me. I performed the first movement of Mozart’s Flute Concerto No. 2 in D Major with the Bradley Symphony Orchestra. I realized at that moment that I am really passionate about performing and I felt like I chose the right path for myself.
Three: My decision to attend the University of Texas at Austin Butler School of Music for my Masters degree in Flute Performance. I’ve been attending this school for about 2 months now and I’m so honored to be playing with some incredibly talented musicians that motivate me and challenge me to improve and elevate my musicianship.
What do you like best about performing?
The ability to connect with people on an emotional level and share experiences is the best part of performing. I love that I can feed off the energy of the audience and create a vibrant atmosphere, enhancing the overall experience. Performing allows me to express myself artistically and portray a story that can deeply resonate with the audience. Performing is a way for me to honor God for everything He has done in my life.
CD releases?
I don’t have any CD releases at the moment, but in the future I would love to record an album of my flute freestyles!
What does your schedule look like for the next 6 months?
In the next six months I plan to be pretty busy! Since I am still a student, I have an upcoming band concert in a couple of weeks. I also teach lessons at a local middle school in Austin, Texas. I enjoy working with students who are just discovering their love of music! I really enjoy playing chamber music and I’m excited that I have a couple of chamber gigs coming up. I also enjoy competing and I am looking forward to applying to future solo competitions, summer festivals, and fellowships.
What are your goals personally? Professionally?
Personally, my goals are to continue to shed kindness to everyone I come across. We live in a world where there are a lot of injustices and violence. I want to be able to be a light onto people with my positive outlook.
Professionally, my goal is to play in a major orchestra. Orchestral music is what drew me to wanting a career in music. I love making music with others and I want to do that for the rest of my life.
What inspires you the most in life?
The impact that music has on the world inspires me to perform. Music resonates with people on multiple levels, making it a powerful source of inspiration and connection. I am also inspired to make music by the lack of Black representation in the classical music field. My goal is to continue to inspire and encourage any other Black musicians that want to pursue a career in music.
The people in my life inspire me the most as well. Seeing the people that I love and care about pursue and achieve their goals, motivates me to do the same.
What has been your professional greatest challenge?
My greatest professional challenge is performance anxiety. Usually the anxiety diminishes after each performance, but it never fully goes away for me. What has helped me control my performance nerves is reminding myself that I am fully prepared for my performance and that I put in the work to get to the point that I am at.
What has been your personal greatest challenge?
My greatest personal challenge has been self doubt. I feel as a musician, one can always get so caught up with negative thoughts of “I’m not good enough” or “I won’t be chosen.” I’ve been working on suppressing these thoughts by remembering why I chose this path. I love playing the flute and I love making music with others! Implementing positive affirmations in the morning and throughout the day have really helped me battle this personal challenge.
Who were your music mentors? and what did you learn from them?
I feel so blessed to have had some of the most incredible music mentors in my life. First, is Mr. Chip De Stefano. He was my grade school band director that taught me the flute and introduced me to the world of band and competitions. Next is my high school private teacher, Ms. Joyce Oakes, she really pushed me to new lengths in my playing and prepared me for music school auditions! While studying with her, I experienced my first solo competitions and recitals. During my undergraduate years at Bradley University I studied with Dr. Kyle Dzapo. Dr. Dzapo is a very bright, knowledgeable, and passionate professor that I am forever grateful to. She exposed me to so many opportunities that really shaped who I am now as a musician. During my last year of undergraduate, I was introduced to Ms. Jungah Yoon. At the time, she was a doctorate student at Northwestern University. She guided and assisted me with graduate school auditions and was such an inspiring flute player and teacher. Lastly, my current flute professor, Professor Ebonee Thomas. Professor Thomas was the reason I applied to the University of Texas at Austin Butler School of Music. She is incredibly knowledgeable and one of the most incredible flutists. She really challenges me in the best way so that I can be the best musician I can be. She is also a wonderful person to talk to and supports me in any goals I have for myself as a flutist.
Can you give us 5 quirky, secret, fun, (don't think too much about this) hobbies or passions?
Five hobbies that I really enjoy are improvising to instrumental beats (flute freestyling), watching sports, watching anime, reading, and trying new food places!
What 3 things would you offer as advice for a young flutist?
One: Attend flute festivals and listen to as many music artists as you can. Whenever I listen to someone’s performance, I am always reinspired. Also, you can make some amazing memories and friends at music festivals!
Two: Take care of your physical health. Listen to your body! If you are feeling any pain when you are practicing, take a break. Know that it is okay to take breaks during practice sessions. It is also important to stay hydrated, especially as a flute player.
Three: Enjoy the little things! Enjoy small accomplishments in the practice room and also enjoy down time. Sometimes we get so caught up in how fast the world moves that we forget to enjoy small successes in life.