"Mary Lou's Mass was a massive and important project, and a wonderful concert experience. Vicki is undaunted by any scholarly challenge."
-Mary Louise Burke, Asst. Conductor, Colorado Symphony Orchestra Chorus
"As a young composer more than twenty years ago Vicki was the first choral conductor who looked at my music and gave it a chance. Since that time she has commissioned several pieces from me, most notably Dear Sarah, which is now published by Santa Barbara Music. She has a commitment to new music and more importantly to quality in whatever she pursues."
-James Syler, University of Texas, San Antonio
"Vicki's courses were well planned, comprehensive, and challenging for the students. Her excellent work testifies to her intelligence and talent. She took her students to Cuba to sing with the National Choir of Cuba, which all described as life-changing. And when she brought composer Richard Einhorn and his work Voices of Light to the college, the entire event electrified the campus for a week!"
-Dr. Michael Grace, Co-Chair, Colorado College Dept. of Music
Dr. Burrichter has been in the scholarly and academic worlds throughout her career.
With a Bachelor's Degree in Theater and a Teaching Certificate from Florida State University, she began her academic life teaching high school English and Drama in Boca Raton, Florida.
After years of performing throughout the country, she returned to graduate school at the University of Northern Colorado, where she received both a Masters and Doctorate of Music (Choral Literature and Conducting; secondary in Orchestral Literature and Conducting: 2003). Her doctoral dissertation was the first to be published on the work of composer Gwyneth Walker, and may be read in its entirety on the composer's website:
While working on her graduate degrees, Vicki taught music at Columbine Elementary School in Denver, CO, and led three choruses at Boulder High School. And she was a judge and clinician at the Denver School of the Arts.
She began as Director of Choral Music at Colorado College, in Colorado Springs, in 2000. While there, she taught courses entitled: Women in Music, Broadway: Then and Now, Choral Methods and Conducting. She also led the Colorado College Chorus and the Myriad Women's Chamber Choir (see Conductor section). Her scholarly interest in the role of women in music also led to her researching repertoire and programming concerts of music by or concerning women.
During the Colorado College years, she collaborated with NEA Board Member Cleo Parker Robinson and her Denver-based dance ensemble, in Mary Lou's Mass, by jazz legend Mary Lou Williams. Dr. Burrichter brought the project to Ms. Robinson so that it could be performed as it was originally intended - with dancers. Geri Allen (piano), Carmen Lundy (vocals), and members of Vicki's semi-professional chamber chorus, Canto Spiritus, along with Opera Colorado singers, performed the piece at the Denver Performing Arts Center in 2000. It was ecstatically received by the press and the public, and revived in 2004. The piece has since been perfomed by the Los Angeles Master Chorale and at both Duke University and The Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. Dr. Burrichter, along with pianist Tami Meise, has edited the vocal score of Mary Lou's Mass and Motets (completed 2009), which is available through the Mary Lou Williams Foundation at:
From 1997-2007, Vicki was the Founder and Artistic Director of Canto Spiritus (later Canto), a chamber choir of 20-24 voices. Out of a collaboration with two of her singers from Brazil, came a recording titled Brazil! The Choral Music of Marcos Leite. Currently, Dr. Burrichter is working with the estate of Marcos Leite to edit and publish his choral music and arrangements in the United States.