Like many contemporary composers, Christine Burke does more than write music. Burke, who’s one of the seven resident composers for the 2018 Mizzou International Composers Festival, also is a clarinetist and bandleader of the Christine Burke Ensemble, giving her a ready outlet for new musical ideas.

Burke is a fellow Midwesterner, coming to the MICF from Iowa City, IA, where she earned her master’s degree from the University of Iowa and still resides.

Previously, the Indiana native in 2014 got her bachelor of music degree in clarinet performance from Duquesne University. While in Pittsburgh, she was actively involved as a performer in new music and chamber ensembles, most notably appearing with Alia Musica as the soloist for Krzystof Penderecki’s “Quartet for Clarinet and String Trio.”

For the MICF, Burke has written a new work called “Ah! The hovering…!” to be performed by resident ensemble Alarm Will Sound as part of the festival’s “Seven World Premieres” concert on Saturday, July 28 at the Missouri Theatre.

Previously, her music has been performed by the JACK Quartet, The Living Earth Show, NOW Ensemble, Cola Guitar Quartet, Kamratōn Ensemble, the Eclectic Laboratory Chamber Orchestra, and numerous others.

Her works have been presented at events including the New Music on the Point, soundSCAPE and Pittsburgh New Music festivals, and have received recognition from the Earle Brown Music Foundation’s International Summer Academy, Talea Ensemble, Núcleo Música Nova, the John Donald Robb Composer’s Symposium, the Chicago Civic Orchestra Composers Project, and the Pittsburgh Festival Orchestra’s composition competition.

For more about Christine Burke, listen to her recent interview with KMUC’s “Mizzou Music” program. You can hear some of her music in the embedded players below.

Excerpt from Christine Burke Ensemble performance on March 30, 2018 at The Java House in Iowa City, IA.

“Here,” performed in 2016 by JACK Quartet.