Clarita Burden, now retired, taught piano for over fifty years. She also performs on organ and marimba. A graduate of the Lamont School of Music at the University of Denver, Burden also earned a master's degree in music education and piano performance at Pacific Union College.

While living in Puerto Rico from 1955-67, she taught theory and keyboard at the Adventist college there and also learned to play the Marimba. At Chehalis, Washington, since 1973, Burden maintained a busy private studio and was a member in and president of the local music teachers' organization.

When she gave a program celebrating over fifty years of teaching, intending it to be a retirement recital, at the Chehalis, Washington, Adventist Church in 2002 on piano, organ, and marimba, her students protested. She relented and continued to teach for a short while longer before fully retiring.

Burden is an active, certified member in the Washington Music Teachers' Association and the Music Teachers' National Association. In June 2008, she was inducted into the WSMTA Hall of Fame, the first member of her chapter to be so honored. She has served in nearly every office of that chapter and is credited with revitalizing it during the 1970s.

Burden, though now fully retired from teaching, still serves as organist in the Chehalis Adventist church and accompanies various community choral groups.

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