Dashon Burton

Dashon Burton began his musical career in junior high school chorus before trying out various instrumental directions, finally settling on euphonium. He continued to sing throughout high school, and went on to attend Case Western Reserve University to study Music Education. He began vocal studies with George Vassos of the Cleveland Institute of Music, and performed in many different groups, including the Early Music Singers led by Dr. Ross Duffin, the University Circle Chorale, led by Dr. Robert Dunn and Dr. Todd Wilson, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Cleveland Heights, led by Karel Paukert and Dr. Steven Plank, and an all-male a cappella group named Speakeasy. During this time, Dashon also rekindled a love affair with barbershop quartet music that had begun in high school by joining a quartet named Avalon.

After three years at Case, the baritone transferred to the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music, where he studied with Gerald Crawford, and performed with the Oberlin College Choir, Oberlin Musical Union under the direction of Dr. Hugh Floyd, and participated in a production of Britten’s Albert Herring as Superintendent Budd, a role he repeated at the University of Akron.

One of Dashon's most memorable musical experiences is performing in a concert version of Stravinsky’s The Nightingale as The Chamberlain with the Cleveland Orchestra conducted by one of his compositional and musical heroes, Pierre Boulez. In his spare time, Dashon enjoys baking, racquetball, and movies.