David Burge lives in San Diego with his wife, Liliane Choney. Since moving to California in 1993 the former Chairman of the Piano Department of the Eastman School of Music has continued to be active as an internationally known pianist and composer, giving concerts, master classes and lectures as part of extended residencies in major conservatories and universities in this country and abroad. In San Diego he has been heard often as a pianist and lecturer. As a composer he has produced a wide variety of works for voice, piano, small ensembles and orchestra.

Burge’s ballet scores, written originally for the San Diego Ballet, are becoming increasingly well known outside the San Diego area with over thirty performances in the United States and abroad in the past two years. Recently published by C.F. Peters in New York, Liana’s Song, a Ballet in Six Parts for Piano, Four Hands (1995) has been described as "by turns witty, sentimental, brash and brilliant" in a Piano & Keyboard review. The work has already been performed by half a dozen two-piano teams either in recital or as part of a dance production. The San Francisco-based Angelo duo featured the work in concerts performed in Russia and the Baltic States earlier this year and will take it to Italy next April. Following its premiere with the San Diego ballet, Moku (1998), for percussion ensemble and dancers, was performed several times recently at the University of Texas and will be staged in Phoenix next March. Dances of Love and Laughter (1998), for piano and orchestra, will again be included in the San Diego Ballet’s season with four performances scheduled for February, 2002.

The current issue of the Journal of Singing gives the highest praise to Burge’s two song cycles, Songs of Love and Sorrow (1989) and Life Begins at 40 (1998) for which the composer wrote both text and music. The reviewer comments: "Burge has given us a song cycle, Life Begins at 40, that will cause mature female singers to shout for joy. He knows how to get the best from the singer both dramatically and vocally." Burge premiered his 24 Preludes for solo piano (1996) at the annual "Ny Musik Odense" in Denmark. The Danish press remarked: "Burge’s music is absolutely relevant in its own personal style and is brilliantly written for the piano." The February issue of Contemporary Music Review (published in England) will publish a wide-ranging interview with Burge concerning his long career as composer and pianist.

Burge’s most recent works include Kensington Capers (2001) for flute and piano, Kaleidoscope (2001), a ballet in five parts for five instruments, and The Thousand Paper Cranes (2001), a theatrical setting of the story of a porcelain maker and a deaf girl who loves him. The Korean Chamber Ensemble will present The Thousand Paper Cranes in Seoul in December, 2002.