Fourteen-year-old Marshall Conklin walked into Red Butte Garden Amphitheater as a fan. He walked out as a performer who shared the stage with one of the greatest jazz musicians alive.
The South Summit High School freshman had the surprise of his life in July when nine-time Grammy winner Wynton Marsalis waved him up on stage to play the trumpet — with no sheet music in sight
Conkline attended Wynton Marsalis’s concert at Red Butte Amphitheater with his trumpet in hand, but not because he expected to play. His music director, Jaden Bueno of Mountaintop Music Institute, always encourages his students to bring their instruments wherever they go.
“You never know when an opportunity will come,” Bueno tells them.
Conklin was only following that advice. Being called up on stage was a complete surprise, and he never saw it coming, he said.
He played “The Second Line,” matching the master note for note in the key of C.
“It felt surreal,” Conklin said. “It was a little nerve-wracking, looking to the left of me and seeing my absolute hero, then looking and seeing thousands of people, but through the nerves, I felt a very strong sense of calm and joy.”
The freshman picked up the trumpet three years ago and has been building a name for himself in Summit County ever since.
Earlier this year, Kamas Mayor Matt McCormick appointed Conklin as the town bugler, an honor that has him sounding notes at local events, especially for veterans and anything requiring a patriotic sound.
Conklin also plays in the Teal Tones, a jazz combo through the Mountaintop Music Institute in Pleasant Grove. The group has played at the Utah State Capitol and the Grand America Hotel for an event for the governor.
Now, the Teal Tones are polishing their sound for a very big goal: an audition to play at a Christmas party at the White House. If all goes well, the local musicians could soon be performing on one of the country’s biggest stages.
Music and playing instruments run in the Conklin household. Conklin’s 16-year-old brother, Guy, plays the tuba, so brass fills the family home on any given afternoon. Their mother, Stacey, played the cornet.
Conklin almost went a different direction. When he started, the choice came down to the trumpet or the trombone. He picked the trumpet, with some encouragement from his mom.
“He had already worked with the trumpet a little bit and could make a sound,” said Stacey. “It was easier for me to help him with the trumpet since I played the cornet.”
After the concert, Conklin went backstage, spoke with Marsalis and received some great advice.
“One thing he said to me was, ‘Slow down, you have more time than you think,'” Conklin said. “I realized that is actually true. So now, everything I do, I take my time and make sure I can get the best quality out of anything I do. That has definitely helped me.”
Despite his busy schedule, Conklin dedicates three to four hours each day to practice, leaving him with little free time. However, when he does get a chance to unwind, he enjoys watching movies and playing video games with his friends.
Conklin aspires to attend Juilliard or Berklee College of Music after graduating from high school.