Burkart

Early Years & Education
Lillian Burkart was born in Louisiana and soon after moved to Beaumont, Texas. Her father, a trumpet player and professor, relocated the family to Madison, WI, and later to Ohio due to his career. Growing up in a musical family, Lillian developed a deep passion for the flute at the age of 10. She studied under Bob Cole, which eventually led her to the Philadelphia Music Academy, where she became a student of John Krell. Krell, a colleague of William Kincaid and a long-time piccolo player with the Philadelphia Orchestra, had a significant influence on her musical education. After completing her studies, Lillian remained in the Philadelphia area, where she began teaching at Settlement Music School.

A New Chapter
Lillian initially planned to focus on a career as both a performing and teaching flutist. However, during her time in Philadelphia, she observed that the local flute repair technician had more work than he could manage, leaving him with little time to mentor an apprentice. Seeing this gap, she decided to shift her focus and pursue training with a leading flute maker in Boston. She began her journey as a body maker, gradually mastering every aspect of flute craftsmanship. As demand grew for a highly researched and newly developed piccolo, Lillian saw an opportunity and took the leap to start her own company, responding to the need for precision-crafted instruments.

Enduring Tradition
As Lillian’s new workshop expanded and Burkart-Phelan, Inc. flourished, she recognized the importance of broadening her expertise. She pursued additional education in accounting and materials science, ensuring that her company remained at the forefront of the flute-making industry. Under her meticulous leadership, Burkart Flutes and Piccolos continued to evolve, adding new instruments to its collection while remaining steadfast in its commitment to the core values of stability, quality, and performance. Known as the “first lady of flute making,” Lillian’s groundbreaking contributions to the technical advancement of the flute, along with her dedication to educating future generations of craftspeople and technicians, were instrumental in shaping the legacy of her instruments. Her vision to create flutes of unparalleled quality continues to guide the company to this day.

James Phelan

The Early Years

With extensive experience in band instrument repair, key making, and padding, Jim Phelan became the general manager of Powell Flutes in 1984. Acknowledging the importance of integrating modern technology into the flute-making process, Jim started taking engineering courses in 1986. He went on to earn his mechanical engineering degree from Northeastern University.

Mechanical Expertise

After earning his degree, Jim ventured into mechanical engineering, designing electron-beam guns, automobile components, and surgical instruments. However, as demand for Lillian Burkart flutes grew, Jim responded to the rising requests and joined Lillian in crafting exquisite instruments. This marked the fusion of his engineering expertise with 18 years of flute-making experience.

Publications

Jim is the author of The Complete Guide to the Flute and has produced the “Flute Fitness” video on repair. He continues to share his expertise through lectures on instrument repair, construction, and acoustics.