Mrs. Burford is in her eleventh year as Associate Director of Choral Activities at Muscatine High School. At MHS, currently co-directs 9/10 Treble Choir, Varsity Choir, and MHS Chamber Choir as well as Jazz, Etc. In addition, she serves as Musical Director for the Drama Department’s annual musical, prepares students for auditions for the Iowa All-State Choir, OPUS Honor Choir, and University of Iowa Honor Choir, organizes and prepares Jazz, Etc. for Singing Valentines, auditions and organizes the annual Dessert Concert with the help of Boosters and Mr. Ryan, prepares students for Solo/Small Ensemble Contest, and teaches weekly voice lessons to the MHS choir students throughout the school year.
A native of Ankeny, Iowa, Mrs. Burford graduated from Millard West High School in Omaha, NE. She then attended the University of Northern Iowa and studied vocal music, earning her Bachelor of Arts degree in 2008. Mrs. Burford went straight on to graduate study at UNI and earned her Master of Music Degree in Choral Conducting in 2011 along with her certification in K-12 Music Education.
During this time, she served as an assistant to the UNI choral ensembles, graduate assistant to the UNI Choral program, and Assistant Director and Librarian for the UNI Varsity Men’s Glee Club. Her first teaching position was in the 2011 – 2012 school year at Hudson High School in Hudson, Iowa, where she was the director of the Concert Choir, First Edition Show Choir, and musical, and participated in Solo/Ensemble Contest and Large Group Contest with many Division I ratings being awarded to Hudson students.