John David Bryson Burge is a Canadian composer

Composer

A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...

, music educator, and pianist

Pianist

A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...

. He has won a number of awards for his compositions, including the Alberta Culture Award (1982), the William Erving Fairclough Scholarship (1983), second prize in the Ithaca College Choral Composition Contest and Festival (1984), and five PROCAN Young Composers' Competition prizes between 1985-1988 among others. In 2009 he won the Juno Award for Classical Composition of the Year

Juno Award for Classical Composition of the Year

The Juno Award for "Classical Composition of the Year" has been awarded since 1987, as recognition each year for the best classical music composition in Canada.-Best Classical Composition :*Malcolm Forsyth, Atayoskewin...

 for his Flanders Fields Reflections. Some music critics have likened his compositional style to that of Benjamin Britten

Benjamin Britten

Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten, OM CH was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He showed talent from an early age, and first came to public attention with the a cappella choral work A Boy Was Born in 1934. With the premiere of his opera Peter Grimes in 1945, he leapt to...

 and Maxwell Davies.

Burge earned an associates degree from The Royal Conservatory of Music in 1979. He remained at the school, earning a bachelors degree in 1983 and a masters degree in 1984. He earned a Doctor of Musical Arts

Doctor of Musical Arts

The Doctor of Musical Arts degree is a doctoral academic degree in music. The D.M.A. combines advanced studies in an applied area of specialization with graduate-level academic study in subjects such as music history, music theory, or music pedagogy. The D.M.A...

 from the University of British Columbia

University of British Columbia

The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...

 in 1989. Among hia teachers in music composition were John Beckwith

John Beckwith (composer)

John Beckwith, CM is a Canadian composer, writer, pianist, teacher, and administrator.Born in Victoria, British Columbia, he studied piano with Alberto Guerrero at the Toronto Conservatory of Music in 1945. He received a Mus.B. in 1947 and a Mus.M. in 1961 from the University of Toronto...

, Stephen Chatman

Stephen Chatman

Stephen Chatman is an American composer residing in Canada.-Biography:Chatman was born in Faribault, Minnesota, and studied with Joseph R. Wood and Walter Aschaffenburg at the Oberlin Conservatory and with Ross Lee Finney, Leslie Bassett, William Bolcom, and Eugene Kurtz at the University of...

, Walter Buczynski

Walter Buczynski

Walter Joseph Buczynski is a Canadian composer, music educator, and pianist.Buczynski earned an associates degree from The Royal Conservatory of Music in 1951 and a Licentiate in 1953. While there he studied music composition with Godfrey Ridout and piano with Earle Moss...

, John Hawkins

John Hawkins (Canadian composer)

John Hawkins was a Canadian composer, conductor, music educator, and pianist. He notably won the 2nd-century Week Composition Competition in 1967 for his Eight Movements for Flute and Clarinet and received the Jules Léger Prize in 1983 for Breaking Through which was commissioned by ARRAYMUSIC...

, and Derek Holman

Derek Holman

Derek Holman, CM is a choral conductor, organist, and composer.Holman attended the Royal Academy of Music from 1948 to 1952 and studied with Sir William McKie, Eric Thiman, and York Bowen...

.

In 1987 Burge joined the music faculty at Queen's University

Queen's University

Queen's University, , is a public research university located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Founded on 16 October 1841, the university pre-dates the founding of Canada by 26 years. Queen's holds more more than of land throughout Ontario as well as Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex, England...

 where he taught music analysis and composition. He currently serves as the director of the Queen's School of Music

Queen's School of Music

The Queen's School of Music is part of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Queen's University, in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. The School of Music is housed on the main campus of the University within Harrison-LeCaine Hall on Bader Lane. Founded in 1969 as the Department of Music, students at the...

.

Burge's compositions have been performed by numerous notable ensembles, including the BBC Singers

BBC Singers

The BBC Singers are the professional chamber choir of the BBC. As one of six BBC Performing Groups, the 24-voiced choir has been in existence for more than 80 years. The BBC Singers have commissioned and premiered works by the leading composers of the past century, including Benjamin Britten, Sir...

, the Elmer Iseler Singers

Elmer Iseler Singers

The Elmer Iseler Singers is a professional chamber choir based in Toronto, Canada.The twenty-voice choir, conducted by Artistic Director Lydia Adams], founded by Dr. Elmer Iseler in 1979, is one of Canada’s leading choral ensembles. The choir has built an international reputation through its...

, the Hart House Chorus, the Nepean Symphony Orchestra, the New York City Gay Men's Chorus

New York City Gay Men's Chorus

The New York City Gay Men's Chorus is a choral organization in New York City that has been presenting an annual concert season for more than three decades.-History:...

, and the Michigan State University Children's Choir

Michigan State University Children's Choir

The Michigan State University Children's Choir is a Grammy Award-winning children's choir located in East Lansing, Michigan. In 2009, Kristin Zaryski was named director, succeeding the founder of the choir, Mary Alice Stollak. Most choristers in the choir come from the two other children's...

. His opera The Master's House was commissioned by the Opera Lyra Ottawa

Opera Lyra Ottawa

Opera Lyra Ottawa is a professional opera company founded in 1984 by soprano Diana Gilchrist after the demise of the National Arts Centre's summer festival opera productions. The company's current leadership team is General Director, Elizabeth Howarth and Artistic Director Tyrone Paterson...

 and premiered by the organization in 1984. In 1986 the Choir of Christ Church Cathedral performed his So Great is God's Love with Diana, Princess of Wales

Diana, Princess of Wales

Diana, Princess of Wales was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, whom she married on 29 July 1981, and an international charity and fundraising figure, as well as a preeminent celebrity of the late 20th century...

 and Charles, Prince of Wales

Charles, Prince of Wales

Prince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay...

 in attendance. In 2004 his Clarinet Concerto was premiered by the Kingston Symphony

Kingston Symphony

The Kingston Symphony is a Canadian orchestra based in Kingston, Ontario. The orchestra was founded in 1953 under the name the New Symphony Association of Kingston. It was renamed the Kingston Symphony in 1963 with the formation of its new umbrella organization the Kingston Symphony Association...

.