Student Testimonials

Learn what our students have to say about their positive experience at Kirks Studio!

Once again, the Kitchel’s were blown away!!

Thanks for all you and you family do!!!!

Gretchen Kitchel2/1/14

THANK YOU KIRK!!! The show was amazing!! Each and every year we are more impressed with the kids.

Carey Pauley (Brooke’s Mom)2/2/14

I can not believe that it has been over a week since the Showcase! I wanted to say how truly impressed Don and I are with what you are doing with these music students! It has been such a positive experience for Nicole (pictured) to be taking classes at the studio and she really respects each teacher and enjoys the lessons so much. We moved to Scottsdale almost 3 years ago and have seen 3 Showcases. Each one has amazed us and I brag about you to all my friends in Canada : ) It is so fun to be part of such a wonderful thing! Thanks again for all you do!

Kim Gray2/10/14

The show was fabulous!!! The music you chose was so representative of the 1970’s. I can appreciate the music and artists of the 70’s. My favorite song is Bridge over Trouble Water! The students really looked like they were having a great time on stage! What can I say? You did it again! Jonathan (pictured) enjoyed being in the show, and we are so thrilled he is part of the Kirk’s Studio Family. It’s hard to believe that Jonathan will be a senior in 6 months. Crazy! We look forward to the next performance and Jonathan’s continued progress.

Best regards,

Wendy Schnider 2/13/14after Showcase "Feelin’ Groovy - Hits of the 60s & 70s

Great job with the show!!! As always you pull off a huge event and the kids do great!

Lisa Bertolet2/2/14

Just a little note to thank you and Pam for another extraordinary show!
Thanks for all the hard work, caring , enthusiasm ,love that you guys poured on all the kids.
Also wanna thank all the teachers that share this vision and responsibility with you.
It was an amazing night!
Thanks again!

Raquel Saldivar 2/2/14Daughter Mariana pictured, student for 8 years

It was a fabulous show and it showed how hard everyone worked for it to be that great. Thank you for providing that opportunity for the musicians and us. I appreciate your hard work, dedication, and obvious passion you have!

Angelo Manuele2/2/14

It was a great show and all of us Whittington’s very much appreciate yours, Kirk’s and the teachers’ hard work, efforts and devotion to the kids to make it the great show that it was!!!

Brent Whittington2/2/14

My daughter Maya learns violin and performed in the Hustle. This was our first Showcase and we got to see first-hand how much work goes in to making such a beautiful show. It was a great show and was so nice to see all the kids perform.

Anitha Siddappa2/2/14

At the outset, it was a great show!!! I must commend on the work and patience that the studio and everyone associated with it put together to make this happen. Every little drop makes a large ocean.

Vidya Shankaran2/2/14

Dear Kirk and Pam,

The showcase was awesome! This was my family’s first time attending it, and everyone in our party was impressed by the performance and talent…I’d say that you definitely have future celebrities in your group. It was an added BONUS (and very unexpected) for Jasmine to win the raffle! Steve and I appreciate your devotion to kids and their musical talents; Jasmine has grown SO much since working with Allison, and we cannot thank you enough. This was her first experience in playing with a real band outside of school, and the event had such a positive impact on her that she’s been talking about it ever since! Thank you, thank you!!!

You can absolutely use me as a testimonial. Like I said, my entire group was thoroughly impressed with the range of talent from the showcase. Jasmine’s sister asked her mom about enrolling; unfortunately, they live in Laveen so it’s unlikely, but she was totally floored by the performance.

Have a good one!

Cherraine Anderson M.A. Ed.Cher Anderson 1/17/12

Dear Kirk,

We are amazed at your energy, passion and love for the arts. The Showcase (our first) was phenomenal in every way….we could not believe ALLLLLLL the work and organization that went into every single minute of it. The fact that you were out at the PF Changs Marathon the next day was astonishing!!!!!!

The world is so great because of people like you. Thank you for setting the bar so high for all humanity.
Gratefully,

Helen & Bart Nadolski (and Andrew)1/17/12

What a beautiful message. Your passion for your work shines through. We were proud to be a part of Kirk’s Studio and Makena had a great time. Thank you for giving the kids this opportunity. My three have been practicing and planning for their own at home concert ever since. They even came up with a name of their new band “Killer Rock”. See what an inspiration you are!
Happy Tuesday,

The Hook FamilyJohn & Gina Hook 1/17/12

Hi Kirk,

I hope you survived the balance of your weekend!

I wanted to write and tell you how great the show was! Honestly, I was not sure what to expect but I am happy to report it was simply amazing! We had a great time and I was amazed at some of the performances. My wife, Jennifer is definitely more involved with your program with our daughter Nikelle so I had no idea what to expect. I just wanted to pass this on to you and say thank you again for allowing us to be part of it. We look forward to what she will learn with your team!

Mark Lander1/16/12

Hi Kirk! Thanks so much for the terrific emails! Congrats on a great show!! It was a lot of fun and came together wonderfully (in spite of difficulties encountered along the day).  We were quite impressed with the professionalism of those on stage working through the mic issues etc!!

Thanks so much!! We’re really enjoying being a part of the Kirk Studios Family!!

Jennifer Lander1/16/12

Our family truly enjoyed! I talked my son into going and 6 other teenagers – they were the guys in the back screaming! It’s hard to get teen agers to get excited about anything. My son said next year I’m going be on stage and his friends wanted to as well. This is great new beginnings for our family. I met your grandmother – she is so sweet ~ and so very proud of you – I can see why – you have wonderful charisma and you can tell you really care for your students. Is there an age limit? My daughter who is now a senior has thought of having voice lessons….See what you have done to us?

Patsy Barker1/15/12

We had a blast at the showcase on Saturday night! You have some amazing teachers and students and the quote of the night was from our son Matthew (pictured), 8, who walked away saying, “They rocked the house!”.
Great job to everyone!

Shelly Mowrey (Matthew Pictured)1/16/12

Dear Kirk and Pam,
as I am sure you can imagine, last night was a bitter-sweet one for Mike and me.
So proud of my girls. Megan (pictured) was definitely in her element. Julia so happy to be part of it all.
The show was fantastic. You could tell that ALL the kids had an amazing experience and a genuine blast……I think the staff did as well 🙂

Cannot wait to get the DVD of this one.

What you two do for these kids is pretty unbelievable. Megan had a friend there last night, a pretty talented kid academically and musically. He is now at Cornell. He said he had NEVER seen or heard of anything like the showcase but how he wished he had been a part of something like it.

Your dedication, commitment and caring for the kids is unsurpassed and greatly appreciated.

Thank you so, so much for all you do. My kids are better people for being part of your “family.”

Jennifer Gaumond1/15/12

Kirk and staff,

What an incredible show!! Such talent and not to mention the amount of fun involved! We were truly blown away and appreciate all the hard work you did to put it together. Andrew had a great time as did his family and friends watching! Keep up the over the top amazing work! You are the best.

The Frisch Family, Michelle, Gary, Carlye & Andrew1/15/12

Hi Kirk & Pam,
Congratulations on a job well done!!
Great showcase tonight – we were so impressed & well entertained!
We would also like to thank you for recognizing Noah’s bday & making it special for him!
We hope you have a great rest of the weekend & we’ll see you next week.
Thanks again,

Susan & Brent Silver1/15/12

Thank you so much. I told your wife at the Showcase how utterly impressed we were that you took the time to give Audrey a birthday song of a lifetime! She/we were just stunned and just can’t thank you enough for making her birthday day such a treat!

Enjoy the rest of the summer.

Allison Hammond & Family7/28/11

Hi Kirk & Pam,

First of all, I thought the recital on Saturday night was excellent! The performances were the most talented of any of the recitals that I have seen. When kids like what they are doing, they certainly have higher degrees of dedication. Inputs equals outputs!

Sharon and I were blown away by Emily’s piece. The intro you wrote segued beautifully into Pike’s Place and synchronized well with the video. There were no dry eyes for the 10 seats occupied by the Papez family and friends!

Thanks for being such an important part of our family for the last 5 years. We feel fortunate to have been involved with both the studio and the Taylor family.

Warm regards,

John PapezJohn & Emily Pictured 6/1/10

Hi Kirk:

We just got home….and I was thrilled to read what Brian said! : )

I had no idea what to expect from the show….and I must tell you everyone in our family was SO impressed!! What a terrific group of performers and I cannot begin to imagine how much work must have gone into this show with you and Pam at the helm.

I will plan to make an additional donation this week and hope that others will do the same.

Thanks again–

Sally Arnold 5/31/10Brian on scholarship at SMU, minoring in Music

Hi Kirk,

Congratulations on putting together such an incredible evening on Saturday! I was truly impressed with the whole event and thought it was a wonderful opportunity for all of the kids to perform in such a magnificent theater! And admittedly, I did have a great time doing the “old geezer” performance too! ;-}

Thanks so much!

Heather Moss, adult student5/31/10

My son began taking piano lessons at Kirk’s Studio when he was in kindergarten, and 10 years later he is still there! During this time he also took guitar lessons and was actively involved in a Kirk’s Studio rock band. Through the band he learned to write and record original songs and loved performing with a group. Kirk has encouraged him to participate in the Arizona Study Program (ASP) each year, and by doing this he has grown as a musician and enhanced his knowledge of music theory. He hopes to complete all 12 levels of ASP which will be an accomplishment that will stand out when applying for college. Overall, he has been able to broaden his musical abilities because of the many unique experiences the studio offers. In addition, he has gained a second family that has nurtured and mentored him throughout his entire childhood and into the teen years. Who could ask for more than that?!

Cyndi Connelly 9/4/13Son Ryan pictured at the studio at age 8. Ryan has taken lessons non-stop since kindergarten and is now a teacher at the studio.

We love Kirk’s Studio for the Performing Arts. After recently moving to Scottsdale from California we were looking for a music studio so our son could continue his piano lessons but Kirk’s offers so much more. In addition to piano we’ve added bass guitar and he is in a rock band and has had many public performances. Our son is having a great time, loves practicing and performing and is making great friends. The teachers and staff are friendly and professional and the students are so very talented. We feel very fortunate that we found Kirk’s.

Lisa Bertolet9/14/13

Kirk is helping our kids take music to another level. The lessons aren’t just about learning the notes or counting just right. Our kids are learning about musicality and feeling. They aren’t just learning to play music, they are learning to make music. Kirk uses clever stories and anecdotes, like “playing baseball” or “the story of the barber” to help the kids understand and internalize important information. Thanks Kirk–you’re awesome!

Jen Rollins9/5/13

My children have been taking piano lessons at Kirk’s Studio before it even became a studio. Kirk has grown this studio to be a very exciting place to take lessons of all sorts. Since he moved into the studio, he added to his piano lessons many more opportunities. He has started show choirs, guitar, violin, cello, voice lessons and more. He has helped create awesome Rock Bands who have competed in Rock Band competitions and played at the Rock n’ Roll Marathon. The studio has expanded from the Scottsdale location to Mesa and Desert Ridge. The Showcase performances are amazing every year and something that even those who don’t participate would enjoy attending. All in all even though the lessons are more costly than others, the opportunities and the quality of lessons are worth the price. It is a one stop shopping kind of place. AND the owners are AMAZING people to boot!

Laura Holgate5/13/13

Here I am again writing about my favorite music studio ever! Kirk continues to knock it out of the park. He is very creative, full of NEW ideas, and knows how to make his students feel special!

Laura Holgate2nd Review
Jenny Scherkenback 4/25/13Daughter Tess pictured

Yes, we are very pleased with our decision to stay with your studio. Jasmine cannot wait to get started next Saturday, and we’re confident that it’ll be another fabulous year. See you soon!

Best regards,

Cher Anderson4/6/12

Kirk’s Studio is a wonderful place for anyone to learn how to play any instrument. Previously, I took from a private teacher, but started to lose interest until I decided to switch to Kirk’s. I have been taking lessons from Kirk’s for 4 years, but have been attending various other classes for 7 years. I took bass guitar for 3 years but switched to piano. The teachers are wonderfully helpful and help prepare you for anything necessary for school, while providing instruction for songs and music theory that you WANT to learn. The staff is very understanding and allow for the best musical experience possible, because of very much experience on their parts. I have friends who have taken voice, piano, and guitar and they all say that their teachers are awesome and that they can attribute knowing the instrument to taking lessons. I have a friend who takes trumpet lessons and he says that his teacher knows more about the instruments than anyone he has ever met. I have never taken these instruments, but that is enough motivation to want to try. What most stands out about Kirk’s is that no matter what instrument you are taking, you know that there is sometime you can perform. There are numerous recitals, rock band opportunities, and even a huge showcase every year. Connections gained, and instruments learned, because of Kirk’s Studio for the Performing Arts will last me my whole lifetime.

Steven Holzer 11/28/11Currently at NYU on a full-ride music scholarship

Hope the showcase went well. Both girls are passionate about music – I give you all the credit. Both are in drama, singing and dancing. Thanks for all your nuturing – made a big difference for my daughters

Terry Puchley7/1/11

Vincent loves (I do mean loves) taking guitar lessons. When he was saying good bye to Adam, I thought I was going to cry. Without being prompted from us, he thanked Adam for teaching him guitar and told him how much he was going to miss him. (Hugs & photos followed.) I think Vincent has matured as a little person and has progressed musically. Music makes him happy and I’m glad we found your studio. You and Pam do an awesome job. Thank you for creating this environment.

With that being said, I think we’re into you for the next several years! See you in August.

Kathy Esposito Sept 2014Vincent Esposito pictured

Megan has loved having Chris as an instructor and has grown immensely. We are grateful for all his teaching.

Kim Graunke4/26/11

I just want to thank all of you at the studio for being such a beautiful influence on Grant’s life and want you to know how much you are appreciated. I know that music will always be a part of Grant’s life and feel so grateful for having had the chance to expose him to the basics. He loved taking lessons from Chris and I know that he saw him as a role model. He said that he looks forward to continuing to learn music on his own and I hope that he does.
Thanks again to all of you at the studio and good luck to you as you continue to grow.

Angie Bushman8/11/09

Thanks for the welcome! Yes, Kenny is soooo excited and that makes me excited. He has already learned about a whole new world of music in just the few days he’s spent with you. Thanks!!

Thanks for offering quality and “coolness”!!

Kelley McCormick 7/15/09son Kenny Holland pictured has over a million followers on Vine

Thanks to you too! It was a wonderful evening and thank you for giving my children the opportunity to perform.

Have a great summer!

Vernanne Duermit6/6/08