Born in 1980, Burhans is a native of Monterey, California.[2] He began composing in 1990. He was then a boy soprano who just started taking violin and piano lessons.[3] In an article written for the WQXR Editorial, Burhans stated that his early musical influences were varied, ranging from Mozart to Philip Glass and Steve Reich, to the Beatles and Sam and Dave.[3] He also said that listening to rock’n’roll growing up had a profound impact on the music that he would later write.[3] During his teenage years, he sang in various choirs, played in professional orchestras, and was involved with several punk and jazz bands.[2]
Burhans attended the Interlochen Arts Academy and the Eastman School of Music, where he received a bachelor’s degree in composition and viola performance in 2003.[4] At Eastman, he was involved with the student-run new music ensemble Ossia; performed with the early music ensemble Collegium Musicum; wrote works for Musica Nova and St. Paul’s Episcopal Church; was a substitute in the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra; and sang with the Brockport Symphony Orchestra.[5]
Burhans resides in New York City with his wife, Martha Cluver, and their daughter.[1]
In 2003, Burhans graduated from the Eastman School and moved to NYC. Together with Grey McMurray, they formed the ambient rock duo itsnotyouitsme.[6] In the same year, Burhans’ “Amidst Neptune” was commissioned by Brad Lubman and premiered by Eastman’s Musica Nova. The work was later performed as part of Steve Reich’s 70th birthday celebration in 2006 at the Whitney Museum.[4]
In 2008, Burhans’ setting of Psalm 118 (for mixed choir, children’s choir, brass and organ) was performed for Easter at Trinity Church Wall Street. “In a distant place”, commissioned by the Bloomingdale School of Music, was premiered on June 20 at Christ & Saint Stephen’s Episcopal Church.[4]
In 2009, Burhans' “Oh Ye of Little Faith (Do You Know Where Your Children Are?)” was premiered by Alan Pierson and Alarm Will Sound on March 3 for the reopening of Alice Tully Hall, commissioned by Lincoln Center.[4] In the same year, he was awarded the Leonore Annenberg Fellowship in the Performing and Visual Arts, which included a two-year grant totaling $153,000.[5]
Burhans’ debut album, Evensong, was released in 2013 on Cantaloupe Music. It was listed as one of NPR Classical’s 10 Favorite Albums of 2013.[7] A compilation of seven of his choral and instrumental pieces, the album title alludes to Burhans’ roots in church music. His setting of the Magnificat and Nunc dimittis, recorded by the Trinity Wall Street Choir, opens and closes the album respectively in the same manner as a choral evensong. The instrumental, secular works were performed by Alarm Will Sound and Tarob Cello Ensemble. The album could be seen as Burhans’ statement of his complex connection to the church and his struggle with religion.[8]
Burhans’ second album, Past Lives, was released in 2019 on Cantaloupe Music. The opening track, “A Moment for Jason Molina”, was on the list of NPR’s Best Songs of 2019, alongside works by major pop artists such as Billie Eilish, Lizzo and Carly Rae Jepsen. Burhans described his four-track album as a collection “reflecting on years lost to addiction and fallen friends.”[9]
Musical style
While many people categorize Burhans’ music as indie classical or alternative classical, he is rather skeptical of the term. He once said in an interview, “People need to have labels for record stores—oh, wait, record stores don’t exist anymore.”[10] He believed that avant-garde classical music had considerable links with avant-garde rock music,[2] further claiming that he composes in an “emo-classical” style – a poignant and devotional mode of composition that draws equally from sacred and secular source material.[9]
As a musical polyglot and a contemporary musician who defies categorization, Burhans is drawn to most musical styles. His compositions consist of a diverse blend of styles – from early music to minimalist, to ambient rock. They embrace a wide range of sonorities, from solo acoustic instruments to orchestras, to pure electronics.
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