Dr. Kevin Hampton begins position as music department chair

Dr. Kevin Hampton is a recent addition to Southeast's music department, and a new face on campus. He recently took the role as the chair of the music department.

Hampton has previously been a professor of music in Savannnah, Ga., and specializes in applied piano, which he said his true joy in life.

The pianist enthusiastically provided insight on his role, along with his influence in music and his excitement to start the next chapter of his professional career as an administrator at Southeast.

Dr. Victor Wilburn is an associate professor of child development and the program director for the VICTORY program at Southeast Photo by Alyssa Brewer

Q: What exactly is the role you play in being the new music department chair?

A: Basically, I would say my role is not so much as directing, but facilitating by working with my colleagues to find solutions to challenges we may face, whether it's curricular, performance or anything else it may be. It's not so much me telling them what needs to be done, it's getting input, trying to find consensus and then see what solutions will be best for our students.

Not only do I work by overseeing everything that's being done, but I am involved with it and know what's going on, too.

Q: How did you find out about the position here at Southeast?

A: This was done by a national search, and I saw an advertisement about the position last spring. It was a combination that appealed to me back then, focusing on wanting to move towards administration.

I was at that point in my career as a professor of music where I thought, "This is an interesting plan," because it was the administrative side along with applied piano side, which is my true love. It's why I went into music all those years ago. The position for it was the perfect pair I had been looking for, and that's what got me on board to apply for it.

Q: Were you working in Missouri previously when you applied for the position?

A: No, I've spent the last 18 years as a professor of music at Armstrong Atlantic State University in Savannah, Ga., but I am a native Missourian.

This position here is almost like coming home. My family is originally from the bootheel area. Although I am from northern Missouri, that's where I grew up. I've been coming back and forth from southeast Missouri for family events ever since I was a little kid, so when getting the position here I was like, "Oh, wow, Cape. That will feel kind of like home." I do love it though, this is a nice little city now, and I'm surprised to see how much it's expanded since I've been away.

Q: What is your background in music, more specifically, piano?

A: That started when I was a child, and I believe I was 8 when I had my first piano lesson. It was something that I just absolutely loved. I remember my mother would bring home recordings from the library that I would listen to and attempt to play.

Dr. Kevin Hampton is the new chair of the music department. Photo Kirsten Trambley

There were two in particular that were very influential on me as a kid, one was Dukas' "The Sorcerer's Apprentice," and the other was "Peter and the Wolf" by Prokovief. So by listening to those recording and beginning to really hear and understand the piano I was immediately drawn to it. Everything just progressed from there to where I am here today.

Q: Are those pieces still some of your favorites because they started you out in music?

A: I think those will always be special for me no matter what since they did have an early influence on me. Since then, I don't want to say my tastes have moved on, but more so expanded so greatly.

There's really so much great music out there, it's really, really hard to have a favorite. It's hard for me to say if I have even a few favorite pieces, but yes, those are definitely still special to me and my music now.

Q: Is there anything upcoming in the music department you are especially looking forward to?

A: Can I honestly say the entire upcoming year? One of the things that really appealed to me about the program here is the Holland School of Visual and Performing Arts.

It's very unique to have a campus that has entire separate section dedicated to the fine arts, so the synergy of all those performance opportunities in one place is very appealing to me.

Then I look at just the scope of experience and expertise we have here within the music faculty. We have composers, we have active performers in so many different areas, we have musicology represented, we have everything from early music to modern electronic. It just seemed to me like a wonderful place to be for creativity and stimulating for a music educator.

Most of all I am excited for the students that are here for music education, whether it is to be educators themselves one day or to go into professional performance. It's always a wonderful getting to work with students at different levels and experiences and that are so creative.