Dr. Rachel Dirks is an active conductor, clinician, researcher, and educator. As Director of Orchestral Studies at Kansas State University she conducts the KSU Symphony Orchestra and teaches graduate and undergraduate string education courses, as well as applied cello. As a  conductor, Dr. Dirks has been invited to collaborate with orchestras and  honor ensembles throughout the United States, most recently in New York,  Georgia, Nevada, and Oregon. As a featured clinician and educator, she  has been invited to present for numerous music education conferences  throughout the U.S. and Europe.  

A Kansas native, Dr. Dirks holds cello performance degrees from the  University of Texas at Austin and Bethel College, and a Ph.D. in music  education, with an emphasis in orchestral conducting, from the University  of Kansas. Her current research in music student and teacher mental  wellbeing has led her to join the national committees on health and  wellness for both ASTA and NAfME. Throughout her experiences as a  conductor and educator, her fundamental goal is to encourage musicians  to seek and create community through music.