Onondaga Community College was never Dr. Kelly Burke's first choice, but it turned out to be exactly what she needed. Her "dream school" was the University of Rochester's Eastman School of Music. When she applied she was put on a wait list. It wasn't a "no," but it wasn't a "yes" either.
Dr. Burke decided it would be best to start at OCC, take some classes, and transfer to Eastman. Eventually she realized everything had worked out for the best. "I found my people at OCC. Everyone was extremely patient with me which I appreciated since I was a first-generation student. Dr. David Abrams, Phil Klein, Dr. Kevin and Selma Moore... I could go on and on... they made time for each student. Through them I gained a valuable lesson as an educator - teach the student, not the instrument."
After completing her associate degree at OCC, Dr. Burke earned bachelor's and master's degrees at the Eastman School of Music, and a doctor of music arts from the University of Michigan. She had numerous job offers to choose from, and decided to become Professor of Clarinet at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She taught for 25 years before moving into an administrative role.
Along with being an outstanding educator, Dr. Burke was a highly accomplished performer as well. She was principal clarinetist for the Greensboro Symphony Orchestra, and bass clarinetist for the Eastern Music Festival which is also in Greensboro. She performed with symphony orchestras throughout the United States, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, Australia, Russia, and China. She was also the principal artist on five internationally released recordings. In recognition of her outstanding career as both a teacher and a performer, OCC named her a distinguished Alumni Faces honoree.
This summer, Dr. Burke will begin a new role as Director of the School of Music at West Virginia University. It's been 43 years since she received her first college degree, but her OCC experience has made a lasting impression on her. "I have traveled the world and I have yet to see another community college with a music program at the level of OCC. Seeing such professionals treat all students with the same amount of empathy, support, and guidance had a real impact on me. It's something I was proud to carry forward for the next generation."
