I have worked with Dr. Burrichter for over a decade as an accompanist and composer/arranger, and I have watched countless lives changed by her great heart and monumental talent – mine included. 

Dr. Burrichter’s powerful conducting style draws equally from her musical artistry and her artistry with people.  She can instantly develop rapport with a choir with her warmth and humor, instantly gain respect with her musical knowledge and masterful singing voice, and instantly motivate with a fiery passion and genuine love for the people she stands in front of.  Within a few minutes, she has the choir eating out of her hand, trying harder, singing bigger, taking more risks, and trusting totally in her direction.  Because of the time she devotes to vocal pedagogy, her choirs consistently show excellence in intonation, vowel matching, dynamic contrast, musicianship, and power.  This is true for every choir – whether at the professional, college, church or community level.  And because each choir member feels seen and heard by Dr. Burrichter, each one takes pride in and responsibility for his or her own musical preparedness and vocal sound. 

Her respect for her singers is matched only by a respect for the music.  I remember vividly an evening when a choir preparing to sing Beethoven’s Ninth sat in rapt attention as she told the story of Beethoven’s life and genius.   I remember watching a movie depicting Joan of Arc’s last days, in preparation for a moving, but little-known piece her professional choir was to sing about the historical figure.   Even in the rush of preparing for performance, Dr. Burrichter always finds time to inspire and to remind her choirs why.  Why we sing, why we make music, why music is important, and why every moment making music together is sacred.

Vicki Burrichter creates intimacy in an organization.  She remembers the names of her singers, her instrumentalists, and her A/V people.    Each person on the musical “team” is encouraged to bond and love each other like family, with Vicki providing the primary example.  Her choirs laugh, cry, rehearse, fail, and succeed -- together.  The result is love on a large scale that can be heard from the rafters. 

Instrumentalists respect Dr. Burrichter.  She is easy to follow, telegraphs tempo and dynamics naturally, is completely without ego, and carries an encyclopedic knowledge of music theory and the great players of every instrument.  Players feel her respect for what it takes to be good, and the respect is returned.  “What do you need from me?” is a frequent question she is not afraid to ask.  She treats her accompanists and all instrumentalists as partners in the task of making music.  One of the first things she ever said to me was, “Please tell me what you think.  I’m not smart enough to do this job alone.”  It was revealing of her humility and collaborative leadership.  Directors like that get everything people can give.

Audiences love Dr. Burrichter.  She is a warm and witty emcee.  Her eclectic tastes are reflected in her programming so that concerts are entertaining, educational, and surprising.  She balances the soul-comforting with the soul-confronting, old favorites with interesting pieces never performed before.  She is a composer’s dream come true, with a commitment to historical accuracy, to uncovering and shining light on new compositions, and to keeping all kinds of music alive.  When she has performed my music, I have been amazed at her uncanny sense of musical intention.  She knows what the composer wants, what the audience wants, what the singers are dying for, and most importantly, what works.  Her loving feedback and encouragement have given many a composer (including me) the freedom to experiment and hone their craft.

Dr. Burrichter’s gifts are obviously perfectly suited to her work as conductor, performer, and vocal coach.  But few conductors have her managerial skills and ability to orchestrate large and complex events.   She solicits opinions and has a healthy tolerance for conflict.  Leading always with her heart, she is bold in making difficult or unpopular decisions if she thinks it is for the greater good.  She has a sixth-sense about where people’s gifts lie, whether organizing, planning events, negotiating, governing, fundraising, or fun-raising!  Her complete faith and confidence in others’ good sense and judgment builds talent.  In short, her greatest talent may be finding and leveraging others’ talents to move enormous projects forward. 

Vicki Burrichter is good, through and through.  You can say a lot of things about someone, but that is the one that is the most rare and golden.  Talent in these hands is a gift from God. 

- Tami Meise, Composer, Arranger, Accompanist; Denver, CO