Name: Michael Burkey
Birthdate: March 13, 1979
Major: Commercial Music
Hometown: Columbus, Ohio
Welcome to Rising Star. Each week the Arts and Entertainment section of The Daily Helmsman will feature one Rising Star.
The Rising Star is a student or group of students with potential for extraordinary success in the commercial arena of the performing arts.
Our first rising star is Michael Burkey, who has been exposed heavily to music since the age of four.
"My dad would be on gigs (playing piano) and I would go along," Burkey said of his early musical experiences.
His early exposure to the piano led to lessons at the age of seven which he continued until the age of eighteen. Throughout high school Burkey was a member of the jazz band, show choir and sang and danced in the production Guys and Dolls.
His high level of proficiency made him in demand to produce accompaniment tapes for both his Show choir and local event coordinating companies while still in high school.
Burkey went on to Tiffin University, a small, private institution in Tiffin, Ohio, but his dreams soon outgrew his surroundings, and he came to The University of Memphis because of their outstanding commercial music department.
"I think the culture and history of the Memphis music scene is inspiring," Burkey said.
At The University of Memphis, Burkey plays for jazz band, Blue Ascendance and Sound Fusion and does arranging for music students and vocal groups on campus.
Burkey wants to acquire skills in both creative and technical aspects of music. These skills, he says, will allow him to deliver better live performances.
Michael's influences include Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson. His goal is to become a main stream producer as well as performer, working with acts such as Jill Scott, Dave Matthews, and Sting.
These artists interest Burkey because of their commitment to using multiple genres of music.
For those of you who don't yet know of Burkey, you will.
His commitment and admiration for music will propel him to great success.
