Lillian Burkart was born in Louisiana, moving shortly after to live in Beaumont, Texas. Her father’s career as a trumpet player and professor eventually moved their family to Madison, Wisconsin, and later Ohio. As a member of a musical family, Lillian fell in love with the flute at the age of 10. Her studies with Jim Walker and Robert Cole led her to complete her flute performance degree at the Philadelphia Music Academy as a student of John Krell, long-time piccolo player of The Philadelphia Orchestra. Upon completion of her schooling, Lillian stayed in the Philadelphia area to teach at Settlement Music School.

Lillian fully intended to be a performing and teaching flutist; however, during her time in Philadelphia, she noticed that the local flute repair technician had an abundance of work, leaving him with no time to teach a protégé. As a result, she decided to pursue repair training at a premier Boston flute maker, starting first as a body maker and later mastering all elements of flute making. Eventually, because there was an overwhelming demand for a highly researched and newly developed piccolo, Lillian decided to start her own company.

As her new workshop began to grow and Burkart-Phelan, Inc. blossomed, Lillian pursued further education in accounting and material science. Under Lillian’s careful direction, Burkart Flutes and Piccolos continued to add new instruments to its offerings.