Education

Masters of Education (MEd), BMus (McMaster), ARCT (RCM)

Biography

Karen Burke is a sought-after clinician, conductor, composer and music director in the field of African-American vocal music.

As an authority on the history and performance practices of Gospel music, she has worked with major choral ensembles and organizations including the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir and Youth Choir, Amabile Choirs of London, Canada and Pro Novis (Poland), as well as numerous schools and church congregations. In 1988, she co-founded the Juno Award-winning Toronto Mass Choir and continues to serve as their Artistic Director, touring nationally and internationally.  A prolific composer and arranger of Gospel repertoire, Professor Burke has written many original songs for the Toronto Mass Choir's CDs. Her work on the concert stage and in the recording studio includes collaborations with such leading lights as Jackie Richardson, Christian McBride, Ben Heppner and Carvin Winans.

Professor Burke joined the faculty of York University's Music Department in 2005, developing the first post-secondary gospel music curricular courses in Canada including the York University Gospel Choir.

Burke’s Master's thesis, ‘The Gospel Choir: Community in Motion” was awarded a research prize by York University.  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 to assist The Community Music Schools of Toronto (formerly RPSM) and other community arts organizations.

In 2019, Burke was awarded the Harry Jerome Award in the Arts, Media and Entertainment category which acknowledges a history of outstanding achievement in the creative arts, media and/or entertainment industry.  The BBPA Harry Jerome Award is recognized as the most prestigious national award in the African Canadian community.

In 2020, Burke joined a list of other Canadian music icons in a collection of interviews in the new book release of ‘Talk’ by well-known musician and on-air radio host, Bill King.

In 2023, Burke was awarded the ‘President’s Research Impact Award’ (PRIA) at York University which recognizes full-time, active faculty members whose body of research or scholarship has translated into a notable impact on communities, while contributing to the University’s research culture and reputation.