​Casey Wilkes graduated from Denver School of the Arts in 2009 and received a Bootstraps scholarship that allowed him to start his successful musical journey.

Casey grew up in Conifer and attended Parmalee Elementary School. He has had a passion for music since he was nine years old, so it was a natural progression for him to attend Denver School of the Arts. During high school, Casey majored in instrumental music and spent most of his extra time playing music. He was a member of the Chamber Ensemble, band, jazz band, member of the Colorado Conservatory for the Jazz Arts, and the Career Education Center Jazz Program. When he wasn’t performing musically, Casey spent his time as a Taekwondo instructor in Evergreen. His time in high school prepared him well for the next part of his education.

​Casey received his undergraduate degree from Loyola University in New Orleans in Instrumental Music and Clarinet Performance. Since high school prepared him for a conservancy, college was exactly what he expected, and his transition was easy, smooth, and relaxed. Casey lived in a dorm his first year and said it was a mixed bag, but he loved the musical aspect of dorm life. Twenty-five of the thirty rooms on his dorm floor housed music majors, so there were bands playing all the time; in fact, they made an ad hoc practice room for the students to use.

Loyola University is a fairly small school, and the music program is one of the largest at the school. The program is very robust and does not leave time for students to do much more than music, so Casey immediately joined a dorm garage band named TORGO. The band produced an album and recorded it in its entirety in the dorm practice room (album download:  www.TORGO.bandcamp.com). He was also a member of several other bands throughout college. He spent time outside of class playing different venues in New Orleans, including Preservation Hall, known for jazz, and Tipatina’s, known for rock. He would typically play one paid gig and one free gig per week. He would also fill in with different, more established bands, some of which were known for leading the famous funeral processions in New Orleans. He was about to live his dream job as a full-time freelance clarinet player, and he had an offer to join a band, but he decided to go to graduate school to get his master’s degree in Clarinet Performance.

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When Casey first started college, he wanted to be in a rock band, and he was. When he finished college, he wanted to be a freelance clarinet player in New Orleans, and he was. Today, Casey splits his time between performing and teaching. He owns his own music studio, performs in various groups, and teaches private music lessons. He loves having a job he genuinely loves and one that allows flexibility and the space to generate ideas. He feels he never has to compromise money and business. For Casey, he believes his business is a win-win situation, and a rarity to make money for doing something he loves and has loved for so much of his life.

Casey’s business is Elk Creek Music Studio, located in Pine Junction. He recently added piano tuning to his business offerings. For a limited time, he is offering free piano tuning for people in the area, so call him to take advantage of his gifts!

​Casey’s wife, Stephanie, is also a musician. Casey said, “I had to marry a musician. She’s everything you would want in a wife, and she can play accompaniments.” Both Casey and Stephanie attended the University of Delaware, but they attended at separate times and missed each other by one year. Fortunately, they had friends in common who eventually introduced them to each other.

Casey used his Bootstraps scholarship for travel expenses and an instrument. He had to audition for Loyola’s Musical Performance program, and he needed money to travel to New Orleans for his audition. After he was accepted into the program, he used the remaining scholarship money to purchase his first professional clarinet. Casey expressed that the Bootstraps scholarship he received from an anonymous donor literally made it possible for him to attend school.

​Currently, he plays saxophone with the Denver-based group Vanimal Kingdom and clarinet with the Evergreen Chamber Orchestra. Casey was kind enough to share his journey with the attendees at a recent Bootstraps Sips for Scholarships - thank you, Casey.