Walk into Potter Hall on any given weeknight, and you very well may be greeted with the sounds of someone tickling the ivories. You also may ask yourself “Is that a recording?” More than likely, it isn’t a recording; it is senior Daniel Kirk, hard at work practicing for his upcoming senior recital this Friday night.
Practicing during all hours of the night isn’t anything new for Kirk, a 2003 graduate of Emporia High School.
“I try to practice between three to five hours a day, but I split it up between the morning and most nights,” he said. “I go back and stay late at Potter. Practicing 5 hours straight is not possible in my mind.”
However, he hasn’t always been this passionate about his music. It wasn’t until he changed piano instructors during his freshman year of high school that it became a big deal to Kirk.
“My new teacher was ‘get serious or don’t waste my time’, so that’s when I started practicing around an hour and a half every day, which was much more than I had ever practiced before,” he said. “Before that, it was just a hobby.”
So, when it came time for him to graduate from high school, naturally, he didn’t want to give up four years of piano study.
“That’s why I chose the double major in Music Education with am emphasis in Piano Performance,” Kirk said.
Kirk was drawn to Western after a competition here in October of his senior year. He won Honorable Mention and studied in a master class with Western music professor David Bennett.
“I was in a class that day with him, and I really liked his approach to teaching,” Kirk said.
Consequently, Bennett set up some scholarship interviews, and Daniel came back up for another visit and applied for admission.
“After lots of deliberating between Kansas State, the University of Kansas and Western, I chose Western because of Dr. Bennett and the scholarship opportunities available to me here,” Kirk said.
Bennett has seen Kirk progress much in their time together.
“He’s grown a lot over the last four years,” Bennett said. “He now has a much deeper understanding of the music, and he possesses a very disciplined approach. He also understands that is preparation necessary for a senior recital. Daniel has developed into a fine pianist, and I hope he doesn’t give up on that. He is at the point to do such great things with his music.”
Bennett said that Daniel has been a challenging, wonderful, inquisitive student because of his ability to take ideas that he has been presented, ask why, and apply them to a multitude of situations.
“He has been a joy to teach,” Bennett said. “I can’t stress enough how conscientious he’s been in preparing for his recital and how diligently he’s worked in his time here.”
Though he was concerned with campus culture in comparison to the University of Kansas, he was excited for his studies and decided that those would be the focus of his stay here at Western. But Kirk is the first to say that the piano isn’t his entire life.
“Of course, I have to keep my priorities straight,” Kirk said. “In order to function, I need the therapy of being with my family and wonderful friends, just relaxing or doing spontaneous things.”
As a peer and fellow music education major, Chris McDonald has also been able to witness to Daniel’s lighter side.
“He’s a great character, so outspoken and witty,” McDonald said. “But he’s also honest, a great person and a great friend.”
For sure, Daniel is a multi-faceted college student. He was part of a group instrumental to organizing and implementing Missouri Western Pride Alliance and was a member of Beta Chi Delta, in addition to Missouri Western Marching Bands and being a drum major in the fall of 2006. He was also a member of the Madison Scouts Drum Corps during the summers of 2004 and 2005 and has performed in crowds larger than 25,000.
The day after his junior recital last May, he immediately began auditioning pieces for what would ultimately be played at his senior recital this Friday night.
“This recital is really a culmination of a year’s worth of work, and really a culmination of my entire undergraduate studies,” he said. “It does signify an end to my learning at Western, but I want to continue with learning later on, and focus on my teaching.”
Though he doesn’t graduate until December, this semester ends his regular studies here on campus. In the fall, he will begin his student teaching at Blue Valley West High School.
“The caliber of the instrumental music program at that school is unprecedented, and I’m happy and very lucky to be a part of that and do my student teaching there,” Kirk said.
As someone who has spent a good amount of time with Kirk, McDonald has high aspirations for his fellow student and friend.
“He is so incredibly goal-oriented and just focuses and achieves those goals,” McDonald said. “I see him progressing so much more than he already has as a musician, becoming an amazing teacher and achieving great things with his groups. He expects a lot from the people he’s working with, so I know they’ll go far and achieve much with him as their leader.”
After graduation, Kirk will begin searching for a position in education. Due to the many connections he has made with other music educators in the Kansas City area, this should prove successful. He also hopes to continue with his studies and hopes to pursue a graduate degree and doctoral degree in music.
Though his career and focus in the future will be educating tomorrow’s youth, Kirk recognizes that piano will always be a part of his life.
“I’ve spent too much time behind the piano for it not to be a part of me,” Kirk said. “I’ll continue to teach and learn and hopefully perform. Piano will no longer be the focus, my teaching will be, but it will always be a part of me. I’m definitely ready to close the doors on my stay at Western and move into a successful career in music education and graduate study.”
Those around him have no doubt about that.
Daniel’s senior recital will be held in Potter Hall on May 4 at 7:30 p.m.