Voices of Solaris

AJ graduated with a degree in music education in 2018 from the University of Vermont. He currently teaches Chorus and Media/Audio Recording at Enosburg Falls High School. He joined Solaris in 2019. He can also be seen playing trumpet in various groups throughout Vermont and is a new member of the Heritage Brass Quintet.

Solaris Assistant Conductor

Cameron, a native Vermonter from Colchester, graduated summa cum laude from SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music with degrees in Music Education and Voice Performance. He went on to earn a master’s degree in Sacred Music from the University of Notre Dame where he received the Sacred Music Program’s Academic Achievement Award.

After living in Utah for three years, where he worked as a chorus teacher and parish music director, and sang with the Utah Chamber Artists under the direction of Dr. Barlow Bradford, Cameron moved back to Vermont to accept the job as Chorus Teacher at Champlain Valley Union High School in Hinesburg in 2020. In February 2022, he took on the additional role of Music Director at Charlotte Congregational Church in Charlotte.

John is a graduate of the University of Vermont, and spent his career as a Wildlife Biologist for the Vermont Department of Fish & Wildlife. He has been involved in music since his elementary school days, was a member of the Vermont All-State Chorus, is currently a member of the Waterbury Congregational Church choir & Vermont Symphony Orchestra Chorus, and is a charter member of Solaris.

Matt is a graduate of Allegheny College (PA) with degrees in Computer Science and Music. Prior to joining Solaris in 2015, he sang with the Master Chorale of Washington DC, the Vermont Choral Union, and the Burlington Choral Society. Matt is a software engineer for Fluency, Inc. a Burlington based startup. He lives in Williston with his wife, Kristin, and two daughters, Maris and Selene.

Dean joined Solaris in 2016. He previously sang with the Mad River Chorale and is a long-time member of the Waterbury Congregational Church choir. Dean is recently retired after a long career as an actuary with National Life Insurance Company. He and his wife reside in downtown Burlington.

Kathleen grew up loving Classical music and studied organ and piano in middle school and high school. She graduated from college with a BS in biochemistry and a minor concentration in mathematics. While in college she pursued her interest in singing as a member of the St. Michael’s College Chorale and Madrigal Singers. Since then Kathleen has studied voice with Jill Hallett Levis and sung with the Colchester Community Chorus, Green Mountain Mahler Festival, Burlington Choral Society, Oriana Singers, and Vermont Choral Union. Her favorite periods of music to study (and sing!) are the early to late Renaissance and Baroque. Kathleen is the archivist at the Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington and lives in Essex Junction with her husband and three children. As well as singing, she enjoys baking, cooking, graphic design, and gardening.

Patricia Norton, alto

Patricia moved to Burlington from eastern Vermont in April of 2022, and joined Solaris in the fall. She founded and directed the Juneberry Choral Program at the Upper Valley Music Center for six years just prior to coming to Burlington. Patricia songleads in the oral tradition as well, and since 2020 developed a Zoom program called Pocket Songs and a podcast called A Breath of Song. She is delighted to be close to her daughter’s family now, with extra time for composing, discovery walks, and reading.

Nan was introduced to many musical genres at an early age, instilling in her the desire to continue singing in choruses throughout her life. Nan joined Solaris in 2014, is one of the founding members of Bella Voce (since 2004), Cantiamo (since 2009), and the Vermont Symphony Orchestra Chorus (since 2000). This keeps her very busy musically, while gardening at her home in Essex, VT fulfills her love of nature’s beauty during our too-short summers.

Steve is the Director of Music at the Lake Champlain Waldorf School in Shelburne. He received degrees in Music Education from Florida State University, and in Psychology from the University of Central Florida. In 2014 had the honor of directing the world premiere of Sam Guarnaccia’s “Emergent Universe Oratorio” here in Vermont.

Becky has sung with Solaris since its beginning, as well as with Bella Voce (since 2004), Cantiamo (since 2009), and the Vermont Symphony Orchestra Chorus (since 1996). She retired from Champlain College, and now works as a Behavior Interventionist at Orchard Elementary School. When she is not working or singing, she can be found reading, hiking, biking and spending time with her husband, Tom, and dog, Imani.

Skip lives in Barre and has been employed by Maplefields for the last 20 years as its IT Manager. He sings regularly with the Vermont Philharmonic, Mad River Chorale, Burlington Choral Society and many other groups throughout Vermont, as well as with several church choirs. He also has a love for the stage, performing often with Lyric Theater, Stowe Theatre Guild, and Unadilla Theatre. He became a member of Solaris in 2018.

Caleb joined Solaris in Fall of 2017. He is currently in his senior year at Saint Michael’s College as a Theatre and Music dual major. Caleb often participates in college mainstage productions and has actively contributed to on-campus musical projects including the Saint Michael’s Chorale and Concert Band. An asset of living and studying in Burlington is its rich and nurturing artistic community, and Caleb feels exceptionally fortunate to have had the opportunity to become involved with inclusive local projects both inside and outside of his academic pursuits, these including Solaris.

James joined Solaris in 2017, and he may be familiar to many as a host on Vermont Public Radio Classical. He has sung in choirs since he was a child, and has been a choir director since the age of fifteen. James is active as a composer of diverse musical genres, and among other accomplishments, holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts from The Hartt School of Music (Connecticut) in composition.

Jake, who joined Solaris in 2018 was active in several choral and instrumental ensembles while at Saint Michael’s College, including the College’s Chorale, Liturgical Choir, and Jazz Band; he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Classic Languages there. He is currently absorbed in translating texts in classical Latin, Greek, and French, and has an avid interest in Medieval and Renaissance music.