Kurtis Adams found his passion for music at an early age. As a child, he gave pretend concerts in between raiding his parents’ music collection. Eventually, the pretend concerts became real when he began playing the saxophone at age nine, then deciding to pursue music professionally while in high school.
After completing his bachelor’s degree, Dr. Adams moved to Boulder for graduate studies at the University of Colorado. As an integral part of the Colorado music community, he performed with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, Colorado Music Festival Orchestra, Ultraphonic Jazz Orchestra, Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra, and the 9th and Lincoln Orchestra, and shared the stage with great musicians including Arturo Sandoval, Paquito D’Rivera, Greg Gisbert, Pat Bianchi, Jeff Jenkins, Brad Goode, Joe Lovano, Conrad Herwig, Jiggs Whigham, Tom Harrell, Bobby Shew, and Bob Mintzer.
As a recording artist, Dr. Adams has recorded three albums as a leader: Two Weeks Until Tuesday, Collage, and Micro-Orchestra. Additionally, he has appeared on several albums as a sideman and continues to perform throughout the mid-Atlantic region.
Currently, Dr. Adams serves as Interim Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and is the Director of Jazz Studies at Shepherd University where he directs the jazz ensembles and teaches courses in the jazz curriculum.
For more information on Dr. Adams, please go to www.kurtisadams.com.
Call or write:
Dr. Kurtis Adams
School of Music
Shepherd University
Shepherdstown, WV 25443
304.876.5237 or 800.344.5231 ext. 5237