Kurt S.

About Me

Kurt has always loved music from an early age. He began playing clarinet at the age of 8 and continued his education by attending CMSU. His musical influences include Stanley Drucker, Larry Combs, Joshua Bell, and Bobby Watson. Kurt's favorite thing about music is creative freedom and his favorite thing about teaching music is watching students finally grasp concepts they've struggled with. One of his favorite teaching experiences was feeling the joy and pride for a student that had won a professional audition for Eb clarinet with the Olathe Symphony Orchestra. When taking lessons with Kurt you can expect to be challenged, yet being able to excel with the materials assigned. He looks forward to getting to know you as a student and learning about your specific goals, interests, and learning style. Book a lesson now and get connected right away!

Kurt S. has over 30 years of music experience in the Kansas City area.

Kurt S. is proficient in and teaches Orchestral Lessons .

Degree and Field of Study:

Clarinet PerformanceAugust 2006

University of Missouri, Kansas City

Clarinet PerformanceAugust 1993

Central Missouri State University

Award Name:

All State Band AwardJanuary 1993

Missouri Bandmasters Association

Achievement AwardMay 1993

Central Missouri State University

Certificate of RecognitionFebruary 1993

Mid-West International Band and Orchestra Clinic

Honor Rating 1, Bb Clarinet SoloMay 1992

State Music Festival

Honor Rating 1, Saxophone QuartetMay 1992

State Music Festival

Outstanding Ability and AchievementMay 1992

Phi Beta Mu (National Bandmaster Fraternity) Lambda Chapter

Honor Rating 1, Mixed Clarinet QuartetMarch 1992

District Music Festival

Honor Rating 1, Bb Clarinet SoloApril 1991

State Music Festival

Honor Rating 1, Bb Clarinet SoloMarch 1992

District Music Festival

Honor Rating 1, Saxophone QuartetMarch 1992

District Music Festival

All State Band AwardJanuary 1991

Missouri Bandmasters Association

All State Band AwardJanuary 1992

Missouri Bandmasters Association

Honor Rating 1, Bb Clarinet SoloApril 1991

District Music Festival

Certificate of AchievementMay 1989

Northland Cathedral

Honor Rating 1, Bb Clarinet SoloApril 1993

State Music Festival

John Philip Sousa Band AwardMay 1993

Park Hill Senior High School

What to expect in my Orchestral Lessons

Beginner - Intermediate - Advanced

I challenge my students weekly to encourage growth musically and technically. I remind them that it is not our successes that show our learning potential but our failures and inspire them to greater performance standards with this mindset. I focus mostly on relaxation, breathing, embouchure, technique, lots of scales and slow, steady progression to start with for building a solid foundation on which they can comfortably control the instrument and express themselves.