About Kirk….

I am a musician and educator who has been through the crucible of performance anxiety and come out on the other side. I use techniques from my meditative tradition and the Lindeman-Sobel-Potts approach to give those I work with freedom and ease of playing. This approach gives students the confidence and tools they need to achieve their goals. These tools and techniques have worked for others and I’m confident they can help you.

Ever since I was young, I was captivated by music. I was fascinated by it’s power, beauty, and ability to tap into our inner emotional world. As a teenager, I discovered the music of Gustav Mahler, which opened a vista onto a world that I hadn’t even imagined. I felt as though I had been turned inside out and completely transformed.

As I embarked on this journey to become a professional musician, eventually earning a masters degree from The Juilliard School and starting a career as an orchestra musician, that sense of wonder transformed into tension and fear. The pressure of taking auditions and preparing new rep week after week had taken it’s toll. The most difficult thing was the pressure that I put on myself.

That’s why I’ve started this website. I want to help. Over the years, in working with my own challenges on stage, I’ve been the beneficiary of several off the beaten path traditions that have been incredibly helpful to me. I’m confident they could be of benefit to you too.

Kirk Ferguson was named Assistant Principal Trombonist of the Milwaukee Symphony in September, 2011. Prior to Milwaukee, he served as Principal Trombonist with the Spokane Symphony, Co-Principal Trombonist with the Malaysian Philharmonic and Associate Principal Trombonist with the Honolulu Symphony. He has also served as a member of the River City Brass Band in Pittsburgh, PA. Kirk has performed with the Clarion Brass Choir, Seattle Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, Akron Symphony, Wheeling Symphony and Lincoln Center Festival. He is a member of the Little Lake Stompers, Sequenza Trombone Quartet and Chicago Trombone Consort.

Kirk is currently adjunct professor of low brass at Wisconsin Lutheran College. He is also an associate teacher with the Art of Practicing Institute. Kirk received his Masters degree from The Juilliard School, studying under Joseph Alessi and his Bachelors degree from Duquesne University, studying under Peter Sullivan and Murray Crewe. He has also studied under Matty Shiner, Per Brevig, Peter Ellefson, William Conable, Leo Potts and Jay Mason. Kirk currently serves as Board Chair for the Art of Practicing Institute. Kirk is proud to be a Yamaha Performing Artist.

Kirk is a native of Trade City, PA, 8 miles outside of Punxsutawney, PA. He lives in Milwaukee with his wife Mary and their two dogs, Frank and Katie. In his spare time, he runs with his dogs, studies astrology and tinkers with mouthpieces. At the heart of his life, Kirk is a Buddhist Practitioner and a student of Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche.