July 20, 2016 (Jackson, Miss.) - Mr. Casey Kirk will step into his new role as director of marching and pep bands this upcoming semester. “Being a part of Belhaven's Marching Band will give students the opportunity to launch themselves into student life, and become an integral part of school spirit,” said Kirk. “I want the band to help create an exciting game day atmosphere at our sporting events - not carbon copy other schools -but create something unique for us. The atmosphere will be fun and engaging, while playing a wide variety of entertaining, energetic music.”
Kirk spent 12 years teaching at public schools in Virginia and Central Mississippi. He recently was the director of bands at Brandon High School where he consistently scored superior ratings in marching, concert and jazz. He built the program to one of the top 6A bands in the state.
A native of Clinton, Miss, Kirk received a bachelor's in music education from Mississippi College and his master's in music performance from the University of Southern Mississippi (USM). While at USM, he was a graduate assistant with the Pride of Mississippi Marching Band and assisted with the concert bands under the supervision of Dr. Thomas Fraschillo and Dr. Gary Adam.
He has studied under Dr. Craig Young, Bud Berthold, Dr. John Wooton, Leigh Howard Stevens, She-e Wu, Dennis Zeisler and Anthony Maiello. In addition to his teaching at Belhaven, Kirk serves as the commanding officer of the 41st Army Band, the Mississippi Army National Guard Band. Under his direction, the 41st Army Band has grown to be one of the finest military bands in the Southeast, performing for local, state, and national dignitaries.
He is a graduate of the U.S. Army Basic Training, the U.S. Army Warrant Officer Candidate School, the Warrior Leadership Course as well as the Army School of Music's Basic Music, Warrant Officer Basic Course and the Warrant Officer Advanced Course.
Kirk is a member of the Mississippi Bandmaster's Association, The National Band Association, The College Band Director's National Association, The Mississippi Warrant Officer's Association, the National Guard Association and the Percussive Art's Society. He and his wife Rebecca have two children.