Dr. James Burke received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Wayne State University, and a Ph.D. from Indiana University. He began his career at Southwestern Louisiana Institute (now University of Louisiana at Lafayette) as a professor of music and worked for over 50 years before retiring. He was a teacher, composer, arranger, writer, conductor, performer, union member, and donor to other musical events and organizations.

Dr. Burke helped educate and encourage careers in music for many of Acadiana’s public and private bands, orchestras, choruses, church choir directors, vocalists, and instrumentalists. As a conductor of the University Orchestra, he gave instrumental majors the opportunity to learn more about woodwind, horn, and string ensemble playing. Under his direction, the USL Orchestra performed many operas and musicals enjoyed by the public. He conducted the Orchestra at the Louisiana Music Teachers Association conventions in Shreveport, Baton Rouge, and Lafayette. They also performed Rossinni’s “The Barber of Seville” with the USL Opera Guild at the Music Teachers’ National Association in Dallas.

In community work, Dr. Burke was a solo, chamber, and orchestral clarinetist. He was a music arranger for many years, as well as an untiring supporter of the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra. He was a member of the Symphony’s Board at the time of his death. He wrote concert reviews for the Daily Advertiser, and program notes for both the Acadiana Symphony and Choral Acadienne.

In 2008, a full musical tribute, “Some of My Favorite Tunes…” was presented for Dr. Burke by the Acadian Wind Symphony. Conducted by Gerald J. Guilbeaux, the tribute featured eight of Lafayette’s finest vocalists. Dr. Burke passed away on September 18, 2014. He is survived by his niece, Kathleen Burke, of Austin, Texas.