On Sunday, January 13, 2019  at our 42^nd William Warfield Benefit Scholarship Concert, we launched our  William Warfield Legacy Awards Program with a tribute to Paul J. Burgett.

Paul Burgett was involved with UR for 54 years as a student, musician, scholar, teacher, and University leader.  By the time of his death, Aug. 22, 2018 at age 72, he had become one of the most respected and beloved members of the University community and beyond.

The eldest of six children born to an African-American father and an Italian-American mother who had to cross the border into Illinois in order to be married, Paul grew up in 1950’s Missouri, knowing that he and his family were different.

In 1964: Paul arrived at the Eastman School of Music and like many African American youth who dare to enter the classical musical world, Paul “hadn’t had (the) rigorous training” that many if not most of the white students had.

In 1968 Paul connected with the Warfield’s when he joined the US Army Reserves and the 98^th Division army band where he played the tuba under commanding officer Robert Warfield, younger brother of William Warfield. Paul developed deep bonds with Robert and the Warfield family that lasted till Paul’s death.

In his lifetime, Paul was a champion and advocate for African-American classical musicians, singers and composers; and for the history and creativity of black classical musicians.

• In his more than 50 years at the U of R, Paul guided, mentored, advocated and cared for all his students with zest and passion; and, in a special way with the students and musicians of African American decent.
• Paul understood something only a leader of color could truly understand: how racism both structural and individual creates barriers for these students every day; and denies students and musicians of color the recognition and opportunities they deserve, despite well-meaning white faculty.
• African American students looked to him for guidance as did faculty, staff and African Americans in the classical music world.
• Paul’s deep commitment to racial justice expressed itself in numerous ways; and often left him feeling isolated, frustrated and discouraged. Yet he persisted.
• He did everything possible to open communications/dialogue between the University leadership, students of color and staff. He understood their struggles. Paul loved being Black; and, he also recognized and often acknowledged he was “the token Black man at the University”.
• He was a founding member of the UR’s first Black Students’ Union in 1968 and was in the forefront of the Black Lives Matter march on the University campus in the recent past.
• “Advocating for the history and creativity of black classical musicians, (singers) and composers … was never far from Paul’s heart,” University President Feldman stated.
• Frustrated by the absolute lack of courses involving “Black American music from a Black perspective,” Paul chose his doctoral dissertation about the aesthetics of the music of Black Americans, a subject that occupied him over 40 years as a teacher and scholar.
• Paul taught extremely popular courses at Eastman in the History of Jazz, and the Music of Black Americans.
• African American colleagues in the classical music world cite how Paul’s very existence in his leadership roles meant more to them than anything he could say; and gave them hope that there can be a similar place for them in the classical music & higher education worlds, too.
• He helped nurture and strengthen the organization structure of the William Warfield Scholarship Fund in collaboration with the Eastman School of Music, as a Board member, an unceasing ally to its early leaders; and as fundraiser for its scholarship endowment.
• Paul championed the Gateways Music Festival designed to connect and support professional classical musicians of African descent and saw this as another way to open doors and bring options to black artists; he helped drive the expansion of Gateways and its strengthened relationship with the Eastman/UR; and saw it as another vehicle to help diversify the University.
• Paul recognized the structural racism in the University at all levels, and would often quote the first two lines of a 1978 poem by Black lesbian feminist poet, Pat Parker : “for the White person who wants to know how to be my friend, “the first thing you do is to forget that I am black. Second, you must never forget that I am black.”
• I challenge you, especially those who cared about Paul, to honor his memory by doing something Paul rarely got to benefit from and deeply wanted:
  • Truly listen, learn and understand the challenges for African American classical musicians, singers, composers, and leaders as they move in white dominated educational and performance arenas of our society;
  • Be willing to acknowledge “It could be me, do what you can to understand and dismantle the vestiges of structural racism at the University, the place he loved and that affected his life deeply.” Or wherever you are.
  • Support Black Lives Matter. Support movements for Social Justice.