The poet Robert Frost said, “I am not a teacher, but an awakener.” Reynard Burns awakened the creativity and talent of countless students in his 34 years as a public school orchestra director on Long Island.
Mr. Burns also plays piano and bass, and is a prolific composer and arranger whose talents and interests span many musical genres. His compositions include music for orchestra, wind ensemble, concert band, jazz ensemble, and more, and have been performed throughout the United States and abroad.
Suzanne spoke with Reynard Burns about his life as a teacher and composer, as well as his post-retirement lectures and workshops that focus on classical music of composers of African descent.
