Dr. Ben Burge is in his second year as the Director of Marching Band after coming to Belhaven University in the summer of 2014.
Burge is a Mississippi native and began his formal study of music at Pearl River Community College and later earned degrees in Music Education from Mississippi State University and The University of Southern Mississippi. Burge was a performing member of the Pearl River College band and choir programs and served as drum major of the Spirit of the River Marching Band.
At Mississippi State, Burge was named Drum Major of the Famous Maroon Band and was also a performing member in the spring bands and saxophone ensembles. Burge holds the Doctor of Education in Leadership degree from the Riley School of Education at Walden University.
Prior to his appointment at Belhaven, Burge was a successful band director in the public schools of Mississippi. His bands enjoyed growth and success in both concert and marching. The color guard and dance groups under his direction also enjoyed successful performance and competition schedules throughout the southeast.
Burge’s groups traveled in performance and competition to many events including BOA Regionals, USBANDS Regionals, MHSAA State Championships, MBA State Festivals, the nationally televised Chicago Thanksgiving Parade, the National Concert Series in Washington D.C., Universal Studios Parades, Walt Disney World stage and parade performances, Six Flags stage and parade venues, MA Dance Nationals, UDA Dance Nationals, MA Auxiliary Nationals, Mississippi Indoor Association events, the Vanderbilt Invitational and many other venues.
Burge is a member of several professional organizations that include the Mississippi Bandmasters Association, Phi Beta Mu, Phi Mu Alpha, CBDNA, NBA, and has served on the board of directors for several regional clinic associations.
He is a past president of the Capital District Band Directors Association. He frequently serves as a clinician and judge for various clinics and contests throughout the region. Burge also assists with small ensembles and the wind band program at Belhaven.
Burge resides in the Flowood area with his wife Cindy and two children, Max and Emma.
