Clarita F. Kaufman Burden

1928 - 2013

Clarita Burden taught piano for over fifty years. She also performed 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, from 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 was 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 served in nearly every office of that chapter and is credited with revitalizing it during the 1970s.

Burden served as organist in the Chehalis Adventist church and accompanied various community choral groups until the time of her death at age 84.

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Sources: Information provided by Clarita Burden, Autumn 2002 and 28 July 2008; Heidi Martella, "Music Teacher Receives Statewide Honor," North Pacific Union Gleaner, September 2008; Obituary notice, NPUG, December 2013, 27.