As a middle school director, I am always looking for quality, educational music that will challenge my students. I can always count on Rick Kirby’s music to be that. His creative music presents challenging and interesting parts for all the members in the band that they want to master and will work to master. His music is enjoyable to play, to listen to, and to conduct, engaging audience and performers alike. It is not predictable except in the sense that it is quality literature, with beautiful and unique harmonies and rhythmic writing that is infectious. My students are always excited to find Mr. Kirby’s music in their music folders and I often will program a piece by him for honor bands that I conduct.

I've had the distinct pleasure of working with Rick several times over the years and have been honored to teach and conduct several of his pieces. Rick has a unique understanding of writing and arranging for school bands, and his pieces always have a distinct voice and style. He has a golden touch with melody and his orchestrations are contemporary and alive. I highly recommend his music for conductors who are looking for something exciting and fresh to program with a reasonable amount of rehearsal time.

We love programming music composed or arranged by Rick Kirby. His music is always well written, and he does an excellent job of providing great parts for all the performers. Whether we are looking for concert or jazz material for young band, intermediate high school, or advanced performers, Kirby always provides exactly what we want.

I have been familiar with the music of Rick Kirby for over fifteen years and have had great success with both teaching and performing it. He has the wonderful ability to score music for maximum effect with any size group. His music also shows great imagination. I would recommend his compositions without hesitation knowing that time and effort has been made to insure an inspired performance.

My appraisal of Rick Kirby's compositional writings are that they are very playable, 'Audience-friendly' and musically challenging. My particular favorites are his Fanfare for Snow Creek and The Water is Wide.

The Menomonee Falls School District has had the pleasure of commissioning two works from Mr. Rick Kirby. We have also programmed many of his other fine pieces for both our High School and Jr. High bands and Jazz Ensembles. Our advanced High School piece was an outstanding programmatic work. It is written with great musicality and attention to detail. His multi-movement work for our Jr. High band is a piece that my students love to play. His incorporation of jazz rhythms and vocal chanting created a piece that was enjoyed by both the performers and audience alike.

Rick Kirby is a rare composer that one doesn't come across very often. Music for beginning and young band is creative beyond what is in the genre, as well as logically put together to allow many instructional moments. As a band director, this is a luxury that is not found often. Kirby's programmatic music both at the young and advanced levels paints a clear picture of what the composer envisions. Pieces such as these are priceless in any concert program.

Rick Kirby did a remarkable composition for us, to help us celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. His ability to take my general ideas, expressed in a few meetings, and turn them in to an artistic gem was remarkable! And as an extra benefit, he was a pleasure to work with. I felt no condescending attitude or impatience as we worked to the finished piece.

Mr. Kirby’s compositions are immensely popular with the students in our school district. His high level of compositional skill, coupled with music that challenges students at all levels of musical development make his compositions great teaching materials. In addition his compositions are always well received by our audiences.

Rick Kirby's compositions are of the highest order musically and each piece has an emotional quality to it that takes you on a sonic journey. Not only that, but each piece is also an excellent teaching tool for a wide range of student abilities and age levels. Students will not only grow musically and technically by playing his compositions but they'll also have fun!

Rick Kirby's music works! From any perspective - performer, director, audience, adjudicator - Rick's writing is appealing, vibrant, refreshing, artistically and emotionally rewarding. He has the rare ability to perfectly meet the needs of any ensemble for which he writes, be it marching, concert, or jazz. We have used his music in all three areas to great acclaim, and are proud of our ongoing relationship with him.