Dr. Rachel Dirks, Director of Orchestral Studies, is an active conductor, clinician, and educator. Dr. Dirks holds cello performance degrees from the University of Texas at Austin and Bethel College, and she recently completed her Ph.D. in music education and orchestral conducting at the University of Kansas. As a guest conductor Dr. Dirks has been invited to conduct orchestras throughout the United States. As a featured clinician, she has been invited to present at the National Convention of the American String Teachers Association, the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Conference, and the state music education conferences of Texas, Oregon, Colorado, and Kansas.
Along with her work with the Kansas State University Symphony Orchestra, Dr. Dirks continues to perform as a cellist in a wide array of ensembles and venues. Throughout her career she has toured with her orchestras in Italy, Austria, and Ireland, as well as San Francisco, Chicago, and New York, including two performances in the Isaac Stern Auditorium of Carnegie Hall. She has been honored with teaching and service awards from the Kansas Music Educators Association, the American String Teachers Association, and the Lawrence Schools Foundation. Throughout all of her work, her fundamental goal is to encourage musicians to seek and create community through music.
M. Evan Ricker, Jr., Graduate Assistant Conductor, is a native of Wichita, Kansas. He earned both a Bachelor of Music in Wind Conducting/Music Journalism and a Master of Music in Orchestral Conducting from Wichita State University. While at WSU, Mr. Ricker served as an Undergraduate Conducting Assistant to Dr. Victor Markovich and a Graduate Assistant Conductor to Dr. Mark Laycock. From 2016 to 2019, Ricker served as the Director of Bands and Instrumental Music at Cowley College, where he helped to establish the Tiger Beat Pep Band and to develop a new scholarship structure. In 2019, Mr. Ricker arrived at K-State to begin work toward his Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction. His research interests include LGBTQIA+ issues in music and music appreciation pedagogy.
Dr. Paul Hunt is Professor and the Lead Undergraduate Advisor for the Music Program at Kansas State University. He currently teaches trombone, jazz history, and is music director for the KSU musical, an annual collaboration between the Music Program, Theatre, and Dance.
He is a member of the KSU Faculty Brass Quintet and Faculty Jazz-tet, and is also is a member of the Manhattan Municipal Band and the Manhattan Barefoot Dixieland Band.
A long-time member of the International Trombone Association, he was literature reviews editor for the ITA Journal, (1988-98) and served as the association’s President from 1998-2000.
A native of Rapid City, SD, Hunt is an active performer and clinician. He has appeared at numerous trombone workshops and festivals including as soloist with the U.S. Navy Band for the Eastern Trombone Workshop, the Big XII Trombone Conferences, and the International Trombone Festival and the British Trombone Society Trombone Festival. He recently performed solo recitals on the campuses of Kansas University, the University of Missouri, University of North Texas, and Texas Christian University.
The Kansas State University Symphony Orchestra is a vibrant ensemble open to musicians representing all major fields of study including music performance, music education, and many more. The KSUSO performs exciting concerts in McCain Auditorium that feature a diverse range of musical styles, genres, eras, and cultures. Pursuit of excellence, commitment, outreach, and community are values that shape and define the orchestra.
The Kansas State University School of Music, Theatre, and Dance combines engaged classroom learning with hands-on creative opportunities that inspire fresh thinking and unlimited growth. The school’s three programs each boast expert faculty with performance and industry experience. Whether you want to perform on stage, record in a studio, teach in a classroom, or take charge behind the scenes, you’ll find your creative home at K-State.
