William Kirkwood, trombone

What instruments do you play?
I play the Tenor Trombone and Bass Trombone.

How long have you played the trombone?
I began playing the Trombone in Elementary School - 4th Grade. Started playing the Bass Trombone my Freshman year of College

How long have you been a Wilmington Symphony Orchestra musician?
Started playing with the WSO after auditioning in 2018. I had recently relocated to Southport, North Carolina from the Hartford, Connecticut area where I had been an Orchestra Member for 33 years.

What do you do for a career?
While I have performed on the Bass Trombone professionally since College, I am additionally a semi-retired insurance company executive where after 40 years, I had responsibilities for Commercial Underwriting, Marketing, Product Management. My responsibilities included working with the Entertainment Division of a major insurance carrier in Hartford, CT. I am presently a Risk Management Consultant for a large Insurance Agency based in Dallas Texas.

Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Garden City, Long Island, NY. My Dad was an insurance executive in New York City. My Mom was a stay at home Mom. Both Parents had an extensive Music and Theater background.

What is your favorite song, artist, and/or musical memory?
I very much like to listen to a wide variation of music genres. Everything from Symphonic Music, to Jazz and to Classical Rock music. I grew up in the New York metropolitan area where my family often gave me at a young age the opportunity to listen to Orchestral and Theater music in New York City.

My favorite composer is Mahler. One of my lifetime favorite performances included performing Mahler's 6 Symphony in 2014 with a combined Orchestra of 140 people. We performed the concert twice. Once in Hartford, CT and a second concert in Providence, RI.

Two other life time moments of performances included getting to play an Orchestra concert at Carnegie Hall, New York City; and a Brass Ensemble Concert with the United States Military Academy Pipe Organ at West Point, NY. (The pipe organ is the 2nd largest in the world).

Favorite meal or restaurant?
I very much enjoy Italian Food. For a favorite restaurant experience, I attended a dinner on top of the former World Trade Center in NY where I was able to view the extensive bicentennial fireworks in 1976 from a top of the World Trade Center.

Favorite beverage?
I very much enjoy a fine Pinot Grigio. I also enjoy margaritas at any point.

What is your favorite vacation?
For our 25th wedding anniversary, my wife and I traveled to Northern Italy for a two week grand celebration.

You're stuck on a desert island... What book, music/album/artist and/or movie do you want with you??
My preference would be to listen to music. I love listening to the Mahler Symphony's.

What's your pet situation?
In the past, my wife and I owned two mini-Dachshund's. Since we relocated to North Carolina just 3 years ago, we prefer to travel, so at this time, we don't have any pets.

What do you want people to know about the Wilmington Symphony Orchestra?
People should know that the WSO musicians are very caring about the music they perform. With live music, everyone steps up to perform professionally. The musicians of the WSO are all very friendly. The Wilson Center in Wilmington is a fabulous modern theater with wonderful acoustics that should not be missed to attend a concert.

How are you keeping yourself occupied while being at home all day?
I still play the Trombone daily. I'm lucky enough that I can continue to do my insurance consulting work as often as I would like.

With the Trombone, I am still performing with some local Southport musicians for an "open mic" at a local tavern in Southport. I'm part of the house band at the Tiki Tavern.

Any words of wisdom to help others through this?
Keeping connected with Neighbors, friends and family is job 1. My wife and I walk daily and try to do exercise as often as we can. With the really nice NC weather, I have been playing golf twice a week all through this. I am really thankful, I have these opportunities.

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