Charlie Burts

Charlie Burts recently retired from teaching after 32 years. He is a 1993 graduate of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro who enjoyed 24 years in the Fairfax County Public Schools. He most recently served as Band Director at Katherine Johnson Middle School for 14 years and previously taught for 10 years at Carl Sandburg Middle School.  At both schools, Mr. Burts has taught in band programs ranging from 250 to 400 students and served as Chair of the Music Department.  Under his direction, the Sandburg Band program enjoyed being the largest in Fairfax County, and both schools launched a semi-annual commissioning program.  Since 2006, his bands have commissioned and premiered works by Brian Balmages, Michael Oare, Erik Morales, Robert Thurston, Johnnie Vinson, and Robert Sheldon 

Previously, he also taught in Raleigh, NC at Ligon GT Middle School, and in Chesapeake, Virginia at Western Branch High School. Under his direction, the WBHS program performed at Festivals throughout Virginia and the Carolinas, as well as in Chicago, Toronto, and The Bahamas.  For 22 summers he taught at the UNCG Summer Music Camp, where he was named to its “Hall of Fame”.  In 2019, he was named “Teacher of the Year” for his school and region. He has enjoyed serving as a guest conductor and as a judge throughout NC and VA.  He has been a performing member of the Triangle Brass Band and the Virginia Wind Symphony, and currently plays with the Fairfax Wind Symphony.  He resides in Springfield, VA with his wife Mindy, and their two sons, Simon and Alex.  In his spare time, he enjoys narrating audiobooks for Audible and submitting jokes to “The Tony Kornheiser Show.”