Suzanne Tirk
Assistant Professor
Clarinet
Suzanne Tirk, Assistant Professor of Clarinet, joined the faculty of Wichita State University's (KS) School of Music in the fall of 2004. She is a member of the artist-faculty ensemble in residence Lieurance Woodwind Quintet and Principal Clarinetist with the Wichita Symphony Orchestra. Ms. Tirk holds a Bachelor of Music degree in clarinet performance from Lawrence University (WI) and has done graduate work at Michigan State University, studying with Elsa Ludewig Verdehr. She has also studied with Charles Neidich, Theodore Oien, Colin Lawson, Fan Lei, and Richard Faria.
A dynamic performer and teacher, Ms. Tirk has taught at several universities including Bemidji State University, Lawrence University, Central Michigan University, Eastern Michigan University, and Montana State University. She has presented numerous masterclasses and performed nationally and internationally, most recently as a guest soloist with the Astana Filharmonia and Karaganda Symphony Orchestra both of Kazakhstan. Recitals and masterclasses have taken place at the Zhubanova Music College (Almaty, Kazakhstan), the Kazakhstan National Conservatory Kurmangazi (Astana, Kazakhstan), the National Academy and National Conservatory of Panama (Panama City, Panama), Royal Northern College of Music (Manchester, England), the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (Glasgow, Scotland), and the Xi'an Conservatory (Xi'an, China).
Ms. Tirk is a committed proponent of new music, having commissioned and performed works at home and abroad. She was a distinguished guest at the 2002 Xi'an International Clarinet and Saxophone Festival in Xi'an, China, performing a recital including the world premier of William Averitt's "Nightscapes." In 2004, Ms. Tirk was invited to perform the world premier of Charles Ruggiero's "Fantasy on a Theme by Ravel" at the International Clarinet Association's ClarinetFest in College Park, Maryland, and in February 2005 performed the world premier of Katherine Murdock's "Aria Bel Canto for Clarinet and Wind Ensemble" at the Kansas Music Educators Association conference. Ms. Tirk has been invited to perform at the 2007 University of Oklahoma Clarinet Symposium and the 2007 International Clarinet Association ClarinetFest in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Office: B221 Duerksen
E-mail: suzanne.tirk@wichita.edu
Phone: 316.978.6191
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