Saturday, September 5, 1998

Singer enjoys being a music minister

By LORETTA FULTON

Senior Staff Writer

Richard Burke didn't really need another job, but this one was so rewarding and fun he couldn't turn it down.

Burke has blessed audiences in New York City and cities throughout Europe with his operatic tenor voice. In addition to his performances, Burke also is a classroom instructor at the University of North Texas and private voice teacher in Denton and Abilene.

But when he was asked to serve as interim minister of music at First Christian Church this summer, he couldn't say no. He had found himself composing prayer responses and introits in his spare time, obviously having religious music on his mind.

"Maybe these things were planned a long time ago," he said.

Burke was pressed into duty when the longtime music minister at First Christian, Bob Siltman, retired. Burke accepted the interim job for the summer and it turned out to be just what he was looking for.

"It gives me something musically to do on the weekends," he said.

So Burke accepted the church's offer to be permanent music minister, a part-time position he shares with his other duties. Burke splits his time evenly between Denton and his home in Abilene, where his wife, Pauline, and 10-year-old twin daughters, Lauren and Ashton, live.

"It's important for me to be home with them," Burke said, so he spends Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and half of Thursday in Denton, driving home to Abilene in time for Thursday night choir practice.

Over a short period of time in recent months First Christian Church found itself without a minister of music, without a pulpit minister and without an organist.

Shortly after Siltman retired, the Rev. Jim Zug announced his retirement also. He recently moved to Wichita Falls, taking his organist wife Vivian with him.

Sharon Brown has been hired to replace Vivian Zug at the organ and began her official duties last Sunday.

Burke has long been interested in religious music. A 1976 graduate of Cooper High School, Burke attended McMurry University two years and then earned a degree in 1981 from Scarritt College in Nashville where he was trained in church music.

"I feel like this was something that kind of laid dormant while I was enjoying my opera career," he said.

Burke's opera career has been praised from his hometown of Abilene to the most prestiges venues in Europe. In 1986 he won the famed Luciano Pavarotti International Voice Competition.

A year later Burke won another major award -- the Premio Luciano Pavarotti Concorso Verdiana in Busseto, Italy. He was the only American chosen by noted Italian tenor Carlo Bergonzi to sing in Verdi's "Rigoletto" in Verdi's hometown.

Back in Abilene, Burke has become quite familiar to local audiences with his annual benefit concert for Hope Haven, a homeless shelter, and other appearances. He will sing next spring with the Abilene Philharmonic.

Burke's appreciation of Hope Haven grew from an experience in London when he encountered a homeless woman begging for money on a cold evening.

Although he had a longstanding habit of never giving to strangers on the street, Burke gave into the woman.

Her words of gratitude, "May the Lord bless you," have affected Burke ever since. So when the opportunity came to praise God with his singing and teaching abilities, Burke jumped at the chance.

Helping a group of volunteers sing the best they can for their church may be a far cry from the stages of Europe, but Burke certainly doesn't feel the new position is beneath him.

"Actually, I think it's a step up," he said. "If you're going to do it for God's glory, it had better be the best it can be."

People thinking of joining the choir at First Christian needn't be intimidated by Burke's credentials. As much as he loves showcasing his own talents on the world's stages, he also loves bringing out the best in others.

In fact he prides himself on doing just that.

"If they can carry a tone, I can make them sing better," he said.