Suzanne Tirk

Dr. Suzanne Tirk is Assistant Professor of Clarinet at the University of Oklahoma, member of the Oklahoma Wind Quintet, and Director of the OU Clarinet Symposium. A dynamic performer and teacher, Suzanne has established a national and international reputation with numerous performance and masterclass presentations throughout the United States, Canada, Brazil, Australia, Kazakhstan, China, Panama, and Great Britain. She has served as principal clarinet with the Wichita Symphony Orchestra and Norman Philharmonic Orchestra, and recently performed with the Classical Music Festival Orchestra in Austria and Hungary. Suzanne has been a guest recitalist at several ICA ClarinetFests®, the Midwest ClariFest, the Southern Mississippi University Clarinet Symposium, the Potsdam Clarinet Summit, the OU Clarinet Symposium, and the Xi’an, China International Clarinet and Saxophone Festival. Suzanne has served on the faculties of the Interharmony International Music Festival, Wichita State University, and Bemidji State University. During her tenure at Wichita State University, she received the College of Fine Arts “Excellence in Teaching Award” and performed with the ensemble in residence, Lieurance Woodwind Quintet. She can be heard on the most recent recording of the Lieurance Woodwind Quintet, Music from the Americas, released by Summit Records in 2011. Suzanne is active in several professional organizations and has been invited to present clinics for the Midwest Clinic: An International Band and Orchestra Clinic, the Montana Music Educators Association, the Iowa Bandmasters Association Conference, the Kansas Music Educators Association, the Kansas Bandmasters Association, the Senseney Music Total Band Director Workshop, and the Wichita Metropolitan Music Teacher’s Association. Suzanne holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Lawrence University (WI), and a Master of Music degree and Doctorate of Musical Arts degree from Michigan State University. Her teachers have included Elsa Ludewig Verdehr, Charles Neidich, Theodore Oien, Colin Lawson, Fan Lei, and Richard Faria.