Burt Levy earned the B.A. at Temple University, the M.M. at the University of Oregon, and the D.M.A. (composition) at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. His teachers have included Homer Keller, Kenneth Gaburo, Herbert Brün, Salvatore Martirano, Lejaren Hiller, and Ben Johnston. He has taught music theory, composition and electronic music at Western Illinois University, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, SUNY-Albany, the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the University of Mississippi. Levy's music has been performed throughout this country, in Europe, and Latin America. In addition, he co-authored Journeys Through the Life and Music of Nancy Van de Vate.