He has been to more places than Johnny Cash and did it only needing four strings instead of six. He has recorded more CDs than the Beatles. He has more first-hand experience at his profession than almost any teacher in the Kirkwood School District. In addition, Adrian Walker, concert orchestra director, was part of one of the first organized string programs in the country after teachers from Jackson Symphony in Mississippi were sent to area public schools.

“It was kind of a test program, but historic,” Walker said.

From there, the assistant concertmaster noticed him, and by the age of 12, he started taking private lessons from her. By the time Walker was a senior, he was playing in the Jackson Symphony. Patrick Jackson, KHS symphonic orchestra teacher, was playing bass in the Jackson Symphony at the time. Being in the symphony together and having both Walker’s sister and Jackson attending Jackson State University, the relationship between the two directors started at an early point in their music careers.

At the time, the Orchestral Fellowship Program, which was designed to address the issue of so few African-Americans in major orchestras around the country, was getting under way. The program required an audition in New York City. So after graduating from Eastman School of Music at the age of 21, Walker headed to the Big Apple to follow his dreams as a professional musician.

“They have a committee of their own principle players. So I had to play for the same musicians I had watched growing up,” Walker said.

After making the program, Walker auditioned in St. Louis for the St. Louis Symphony’s program spot and was approved unanimously by the committee. While in the fellowship program, Walker played at all the rehearsals, concerts, tours and recording sessions. He has recorded over 25 CDs with the orchestra (yes, more than the Beatles). For him, it was an opportunity to get introduced to orchestra life.

“Playing with the St. Louis Symphony, I never really felt like an orchestral fellow because everyone accepted me and treated me as a peer,” Walker said. “A lot of them were surprised that I was a fellow because in the relationships among people, they just treated me as ‘violinist Adrian’ because I had to play the part like everyone else did.”

When the fellowship was over, Walker auditioned again and became a regular replacement for the symphony for the next 20 years, and touring all the major U.S. cites.

Walker continued to audition for other major orchestras, competing with musicians from all over the country. With such an extremely competitive environment, he still made it to the final auditioning round for the New York Philharmonic twice. Even though Walker did not make it into the orchestra, the conductor was so impressed with his playing that he offered Walker a spot on the 1989 Asian tour for three weeks that included concerts in Japan, China and Korea.

“That was probably the biggest success I’ve had with auditioning for orchestras,” Walker said.

After his career with the St. Louis Symphony, he worked three years at Southeast Missouri State University. He also taught 12 summers at the Interlochen Arts Camp in Michigan and four years at the University of Rolla directing the strings program.
Walker was teaching at Rolla when Jackson presented an offer to substitute for Kelly Judge, former concert orchestra teacher, while she was on her maternity leave. Walker had done chamber music coaching at KHS before, so Jackson knew he had the capabilities, but it was the switching from performance to teaching that Walker had to consider.

“I told him how life changing teaching can be,” Jackson said, “and maybe at this stage of the game, he would be able to give back the knowledge and all the information he has gained over the years to give back to the students.”

Directing requires knowledge of repertoire and how to play with quality. The position Walker has is teaching him the essentials not only to maintain the level of excellence among all students, but to inspire them as well.

“It’s been an amazing experience. The most incredible public school teaching experience I have ever had,” Walker said. “I continue to learn from Patrick Jackson on the things I have to do here in hopes that I will learn and become hopefully a fraction of what he is in the eyes of the Kirkwood school district and the students.”