You may think you know everything there is to know about professors at Keene State, but some professors have a talented side away from the classrooms and lectures. If you’ve ever wondered how music affects your own life and how listening and playing music can help you evolve, then you’d be exactly like some of the professors we have at KSC.
For some professors, music isn’t something that comes and goes through life. It’s something that sticks with you. Kirk Sanger, an associate professor of nursing, is one of these professors. As a performer on the double bass drums, guitar and piano, Sanger said he takes his passion for music to his work in nursing.
“I developed a class called Music and Health,” Singer explained. “There’s tons of research around why music’s really good for you, from psychological aspects to physical aspects. It also can help build a community with people.”
Sanger said he began to play and perform music in the early 2000s, studying it with other teachers before going to graduate school for music. Afterwards, Sanger went to school for nursing to be able to support himself with a career while still nurturing his passion for music.
“I think for one, it’s just the self-expression aspect that I love,” Sanger said. “I could just be by myself and play. There’s a physicality to playing that instrument, and I think that’s pretty great.”
Jeff Kolter, an adjunct Film professor for an editing class at Keene State, said he looks at his relation to music on the sonic level. He is primarily a bass player.
“One of my favorite things about playing music is the opportunity to be creative sonically,” Kolter said. “I don’t like to apply the term ‘musician’ to myself. I see it as just another avenue for creative expression.”
Kolter said he began to play music when he was younger due to the influence of his older brother. Kolter’s brother got him interested in rock music and got him a bass guitar. He began a band with his friends and has continued to play since.
Kolter is currently in a band named “Omoo Omoo” and is working on a solo project called “Know Your Program.”
Mike Wakefield, a part-time adjunct professor at Keene State, spoke on how his love for music has stayed with him for his entire life, and how it can for just about anyone. Wakefield primarily plays the saxophone, but also plays the clarinet and the flute.
“One of my favorite things about playing music is that you can keep doing it and doing it until you’re very old,” Wakefield said. “It’s something that you couldn’t do for things like basketball or football.”
Wakefield said he began playing music for both amateur and professional theater shows in the pit orchestra. He then learned how to play the flute when he and his flute-playing friend traded lessons with one another.
“Even if you don’t play, we need people to listen,” Wakefield said. “If there’s nobody listening, it’s not as much fun.”
Michael Ardita can be contacted at
