Lewis Kirk, Bassoon
Lewis Kirk is a member of the orchestras of the Lyric Opera of Chicago and the Santa Fe Opera, playing both bassoon and contrabassoon. In addition to Fulcrum Point, he performs with the Champagne Players, Bach Week in Evanston, Symphony II and Concertante di Chicago. He has appeared as a guest with the Chicago Symphony, the Chicago Chamber Musicians, CUBE, Music of the Baroque, and the Contemporary Chamber Players. Before coming to Chicago, Mr. Kirk played five seasons with the Städtischen Orchester of Bremerhaven, Germany and three seasons with the New Orleans Symphony. His formal music studies were at the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, and at the Manhattan School of Music. His bassoon teachers include Crawford Best, Phillip Kolker, Stephen Maxym, and Darlene Jussilla. Mr. Kirk joined the faculty of DePaul University as an Instuctor of Bassoon in 1989. He resides in Evanston with his wife Melissa and two daughters Eleanor and Cynthia.
Mr. Kirk began playing the bassoon at the age of 12 at the suggestion of Morris Sweat, his junior high school band director. Lewis was a trombone player at the time and not exactly setting the woods on fire, and Mr. Sweat was desperate to get a bassoonist into the band, so the crafty band director told him he had just the right teeth structure to take on the bassoon. So he took the instrument and a fingering chart into the storage room and when he made his debut in the band a week later he got a lot more attention from the cheerleaders than he'd ever gotten on trombone, and so was hooked. Now the bassoon has been variously described as "the clown of the orchestra" ,"a farting bedpost" or "a huge bong sort of thing". Lewis began to practice, took a few lessons and decided this is what he wanted to do with his life. He worked hard, got lucky and ended up in Chicago with a steady job, a lovely wife and family. His happiness will be complete when he masters the five ball cascade.
Lewis' Interview:
Instrument?
Basson
What are you listening to?
Acrock — they’re this local, male acappella doo-wop group
Describe your work.
Ultimately, I hope to produce something magical, something to move people.
Most important lesson you’ve learned?
Finding satisfaction really comes from doing whatever it is you do the best — giving it your all, no matter when.
Recent dreams?
Generally my dreams are pretty benign, but in this one I’m in New Mexico (I spend my summers there), and for some reason I’m concerned with water — making sure we have enough, that sort of thing. I guess that’s pretty benign, too!