Making beautiful music
Dr. Willard Kesling – or Dr. K, as his students call him – is director of Choral Activities and coordinator of Graduate Studies in the Music department at Utah State University.
He has directed more than 200 choirs and 45 symphony orchestras in 26 years, including the Manhattan Philharmonic, the Moscow State Chamber Orchestra and Moscow State Opera Chorus in Russia and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in its weekly CBS broadcast “Music and the Spoken Word,” according to a recent biography included in the USU Chamber Singers’ CD pamphlet.
“And one of these years, I’ll learn to read music,” Kesling joked.
Dr. Kesling’s prestigious musical career was nearly thwarted by his third-grade teacher in his home town of Rockville, Md., who “told me that I couldn’t sing,” Kesling said.
Taking the criticism to heart, Kesling gave up any thought of studying music, with the exception of learning to play the guitar in a high school rock ‘n’ roll band. He had nearly graduated from high school with aspirations of becoming a veterinarian when, on his way to wrestling practice, which happened to be near the choral room, the school’s choir director heard Kesling “goofing off” and singing to himself, Kesling said. The teacher persuaded Kesling to try out for the school musical, “Oklahoma,” and soon, Kesling was cast as the play’s hero, Curly.
“I just got a letter from that teacher,” Kesling said. “He says that conducting all these choirs was my destiny.”
After earning his undergraduate degree in Music Therapy and Vocal Performance, Kesling was drafted into the army to fight in the Vietnam War. Kesling registered for the Naval Officer Candidate School in Pensicola, Fla., where he trained to fly A-6 Intruder airplanes.
Kesling was saved from participating in actual combat when he was appointed choral director of the Naval Air Choir, though he had little directing experience at the time. This event prompted him to attend graduate school following his service in the Navy and to study choir directing in earnest, Kesling said.
After teaching at colleges in Morristown, Tenn., and Evansville, Ind., Kesling came to USU.
Under his direction, the USU Chamber Singers have performed in many cities and countries, including Washington, D.C., Rio de Janiero, Brazil and Tchaikovsky Hall in Moscow, Russia, to name a few, according to the information on the “Sing Me to Heaven” CD pamphlet. They were even dubbed “a very proficient choir” by The Washington Post.
No one would be happier than Dr. Kesling to talk about the honors and praises earned by students in the USU Music Department, Kesling’s students say.
“Dr. K likes to brag about his choirs,” said Eldeen Hymas, a vocal performance major. “I like it; it shows he thinks we’re good.”
With his students, “Dr. K” is informal and personable.
“He likes to just hang out with us,” said Jon Sears, a choral education major.
One of his students’ favorite experiences with Dr. Kesling is a recent “choir get-together” at Kesling’s house.
“We played a game where you tell your most embarrassing stories,” Hymas said. “His were always the best.”
Dr. Kesling has won not only the friendship, but also the respect of many of his students.
“One of his greatest strengths as a teacher is his knowledge of musical styles and periods,” said vocal performance major David Olsen.
“I really love doing concerts and getting the kids ready for them,” Kesling said. “Students are the best thing about this job.”
Dr. Kesling was diagnosed with a near-fatal case of cancer last year. Fortunately, after several rounds of radiation therapy, the cancer is nearly gone, he said.
“You might say a miracle in progress,” Kesling said.
Kesling admires great musical geniuses like Wagner, Beethoven and Bach and places a lot of value on hard work.
“Never give up, and work hard,” he said is his personal motto. “Nobody is going to give you anything. You have to earn it.”