Steve Leisring, Class of 1981,  Lawrence, Kansas

What are you up to? I am currently Professor of Music, School of Music, The University of Kansas (Jayhawks) Lawrence, KS.

I teach Applied Trumpet, and courses that go along with it such as brass pedagogy, chamber music, and orchestral repertoire. My students are music majors who play trumpet as their main instrument who are majoring in Music Education, Music Therapy, Performance, Composition, and Jazz. My current students have come to Kansas from 10 states and Puerto Rico, as well as 4 countries, including China, Afghanistan, South Korea, and Costa Rica.

Most people do not know that a professor's role at a Research 1 institution like KU goes far beyond teaching. Only 40% of my contract is teaching. This is typical at major flagship universities. 20% is Service to the university such as committees or recruiting, and 40% is Research, or, in the case of an Applied Music Professor, it is Creative Activity. My Creative Activity is musical performance. Since coming to KU in 2003, I have performed and taught in 17 countries, including in more than 20 cities and universities in China. In the last two years, I have performed and/or taught in Spain, Estonia, Poland, Italy, Switzerland, France, China and Taiwan. Highlights of my career: performances as soloists with symphony orchestras and bands in China, performing with the National Orchestra of Spain in October of 2019 in Madrid; 100 performances with the Kansas City Symphony including the National Anthem at Game 6 of the 2014 World Series; twice featured at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, Umbria Jazzfest in Italy, "Jazz en Vienne", France; Kennedy Center; with the Tokyo Symphony in Japan; performing in Sidney Australia; and with Ellis and Delfeayo Marsalis at Tanglewood in MA. In 2015, was given my greatest honor from my former WHS Band Director, Robert Pettinichi, who nominated me for the Wall of Honor at WHS, and was selected.

How'd you get here? After high school graduation, I spent 6 years getting degrees in Music Education and Performance at the University of North Texas, followed by a Master's degree in Orchestral Performance at the Mannes College of Music, New School University in NYC. Immediately after, I was chosen for a position in the Tenerife Symphony Orchestra, Canary Islands, Spain, where I was from 1989-2003. While in Spain, began teaching a lot, played about 100 concerts a year and performed at two World Expos, in Sevilla '92 and Lisbon '98; recorded about 25 CDs; performed all over Spain, and in London, Germany etc. I also re-lived high school life playing semi-pro baseball in Spain's top baseball league for 3 years. I was selected for tenure-track position at the University of Kansas in 2003, after an international search.

What are your goals? I want to continue as a music professor, and hopefully continue to be performing in new countries and return to others. I’m excited to be judging a competition in Lviv, Ukraine in March 2020 and also returning to the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki Finland to teach, as well as Poland and Central Conservatory in Beijing China, where I have taught almost each of the last 15 years. I’d like to continue to help students from all over reach their dreams. I am happy to respond to any WHS students with questions about music in college.

If you could tell your high school self one thing, what would it be? Find someone who is doing what you want to do, and talk to them about it. Most people don’t end up doing exactly what they studied in college. The best thing to do is follow your passions. There are so many more careers out there that are connected to your passions that you can’t possibly know about in high school. Do not be afraid to leave. Look outside of your area for college, the Midwest and West are very different places and may offer great opportunities for study. I was so lucky a former Little League coach suggested I look West. It was the best decision for me to go to college outside of Connecticut. Be serious, work hard toward toward your passions and it will work out.