Dashon Burton: A Conversation on Life and Artistry
Monday, December 13, 2021 at 7:00 PM EST on Zoom
Dashon Burton, in conversation with GEMS’ John Thiessen, will discuss his life and successful career as a world-renowned bass/baritone singing a vast repertoire of early, Classical, Romantic and new music. Dashon will talk about his formative years, vocal training at Oberlin College and Yale University, and his approach to maintaining what is truly a remarkable voice while constantly learning new repertoire. GEMS patrons may wish to know what it’s like for Dashon to perform Salomé at the Salzburg Festival while thinking ahead to performances of Bach cantatas and passions elsewhere. Our online audience will have the opportunity to ask Dashon these and other questions live.
Dashon Burton has established a vibrant career as a bass-baritone, appearing regularly throughout the United States and Europe in key elements of his repertoire – Bach’s St. John and St. Matthew Passions and the Mass in B Minor, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, Brahms Requiem, Handel’s Messiah and Mozart’s Requiem. Dashon won his second Grammy in March 2021, a Best Classical Solo Vocal Album, for Dame Ethyl Smyth’s The Prison with the Experiential Orchestra (Chandos). An original member of the groundbreaking vocal ensemble, Roomful of Teeth, he won his first Grammy for their recording of Caroline Shaw’s Pulitzer-Prizewinning Partita for 8 Voices.