Singing In The Gospel Style!
with Dr. Karen Burke, York University
Karen Burke takes participants through contemporary contemporary gospel music repertoire demonstrating and 'deconstructing' the gospel music form in a way that allows them to not only understand the performance practices but to create an authentic gospel choir sound. In a very short period of time, workshop participants are singing in harmony, with soloists from amongst them, and there is no need for print music. This workshop is very helpful to those who are seeking a 'window' into this genre.
Dr. Karen Burke
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Born in Brantford, Ontario, Karen Burke completed McMaster University’s Honours music programme and during her time there, Burke received the Louise E. Bettger Scholarship recognizing excellence in choral work and the Hamilton Alumnae Branch Award for outstanding graduating female student. Burke also holds a Master of Education Degree from York University and an A.R.C.T. Diploma in Piano Teaching from the Royal Conservatory of Music.
Karen and her husband, Oswald own Burke Music Inc. a Gospel music production and publishing company which also offers booking services, consulting and choral workshops. A prolific songwriter, Burke has written many original award-winning gospel songs and completed several commissions. |
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In 1988, Burke co-founded the Toronto Mass Choir; a Juno award-winning gospel choir comprised of a diversified group of singers and musicians from
across the GTA and continues to serve as its Artistic Director. Along with her husband, Oswald Burke and her devoted team of volunteers, Burke develops the choir’s touring schedules and choral arrangements. TMC has recorded 12 albums and toured in ten different countries including Italy, Romania, Poland and the Dominican Republic.
Following fifteen years as both an elementary and high school music teacher, Burke became a Professor in the music department at York University in 2005 developing the first post-secondary gospel music curricular courses in Canada and establishing the York University Gospel Choir. In 2006, Burke established G.I.V.E. (Gospel Inter-Varsity Explosion), which is an annual gospel music festival to educate, encourage and showcase gospel choirs at post-secondary institutions and in 2009 was nominated for the Leslie Bell Conducting Prize.
Her music career also includes work as a busy guest speaker and conductor, adjudicator and clinician offering gospel music workshops. In 2013, Burke established the City Youth Gospel Project, a gospel music festival designed exclusively to teach and share gospel music to hundreds of middle and high school students and their teachers at a time.
Burke has offered workshops for many schools and organizations including the University of Toronto, University of Western Ontario, the Ontario Music Educators Association (OMEA), the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education
(OISE), the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir and the Metropolitan Separate School Board. Burke has travelled abroad teaching Gospel music in countries such as Poland and Romania.
Burke’s major research thesis, ‘The Gospel Choir Community in Motion” was awarded a research prize in 2015. In 2016, York University appointed Burke as the Inaugural Fellow for the Helen Carswell Chair in Community Engaged
Research in the Arts providing leadership for research in the Jane & Finch community, in particular, to assist RPSM and various other community arts organizations.
across the GTA and continues to serve as its Artistic Director. Along with her husband, Oswald Burke and her devoted team of volunteers, Burke develops the choir’s touring schedules and choral arrangements. TMC has recorded 12 albums and toured in ten different countries including Italy, Romania, Poland and the Dominican Republic.
Following fifteen years as both an elementary and high school music teacher, Burke became a Professor in the music department at York University in 2005 developing the first post-secondary gospel music curricular courses in Canada and establishing the York University Gospel Choir. In 2006, Burke established G.I.V.E. (Gospel Inter-Varsity Explosion), which is an annual gospel music festival to educate, encourage and showcase gospel choirs at post-secondary institutions and in 2009 was nominated for the Leslie Bell Conducting Prize.
Her music career also includes work as a busy guest speaker and conductor, adjudicator and clinician offering gospel music workshops. In 2013, Burke established the City Youth Gospel Project, a gospel music festival designed exclusively to teach and share gospel music to hundreds of middle and high school students and their teachers at a time.
Burke has offered workshops for many schools and organizations including the University of Toronto, University of Western Ontario, the Ontario Music Educators Association (OMEA), the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education
(OISE), the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir and the Metropolitan Separate School Board. Burke has travelled abroad teaching Gospel music in countries such as Poland and Romania.
Burke’s major research thesis, ‘The Gospel Choir Community in Motion” was awarded a research prize in 2015. In 2016, York University appointed Burke as the Inaugural Fellow for the Helen Carswell Chair in Community Engaged
Research in the Arts providing leadership for research in the Jane & Finch community, in particular, to assist RPSM and various other community arts organizations.
