Our Director, Staff and Board of Directors
Dr. Dawn O. Willis, Artistic Director

Dawn holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Choral Music from Arizona State University and Master’s degrees in Sacred Music and Choral Conducting from Southern Methodist University. Dawn has served as the Director of Choral Activities at McMurry University and Iowa Wesleyan College and conducted choral ensembles at the University of Vermont, Arizona State University, and Iowa State University. She has conducted performances of the Vermont Symphony Orchestra, the New England Symphonic Ensemble, and the Southeast Iowa Symphony Orchestra. She has also prepared choruses for regional orchestras in Iowa and Texas, in addition to conducting numerous festivals, clinics, workshops, musicals, operas, and madrigal dinners throughout the Midwest, Texas, and New England. Dawn composes and arranges sacred and secular choral music and music for handbell ensembles.
Claire Black, Accompanist

Claire also keeps a busy itinerary with singers. Having worked with dozens of choirs, and recently for six seasons as the rehearsal pianist with the Burlington Choral Society, she now plays for Bella Voce Women's Chorus and, annually, the Vermont All State Festival Choir. Other collaborations include freelance work as an accompanist for vocal and instrumental soloists, from young children to distinguished touring artists. Before moving to Vermont, Claire spent eight years in Cleveland, OH. There, she worked as a staff accompanist at Baldwin Wallace University and trained at the Cleveland Institute of Music (CIM). She received a Master of Music degree in piano performance under the tutelage of Margarita Shevchenko. Other teachers and mentors include Eugenia Tsarov, Robert Mayerovitch, Spencer Myer, Mitsuko Morikawa, Regina Mushabac, Jane Eaglen, and Elaine Greenfield.
Claire is an avid educator, maintaining a substantial private studio of piano players at all levels. She previously taught at Oberlin Conservatory's Community Music School and at CIM's Summer Sonata festival for young pianists. She also works in several administrative capacities, currently managing the Stellaria Trio and having served several years on the Vermont Music Teachers Association board as Competitions Chair, as Bookings Coordinator for the Cathedral Arts Series in Burlington, and as a member of the National Federation of Music Clubs.
Heather Aubé, Director’s Assistant

2018-2019 Board of Directors
Rebecca Watson, Chair
Linda Wheeler, Treasurer
Doris Ogden, Recording Secretary
Jeri Bergdahl, Membership Secretary
Jodie Auer-Johnson
Jenny Berschling
Vikki Day
Chris O'Brien
Nan O’Leary
Laura Nassau
Rosemary Zamore
Dawn Willis, Artistic Director, ex officio
Linda Wheeler, Treasurer
Doris Ogden, Recording Secretary
Jeri Bergdahl, Membership Secretary
Jodie Auer-Johnson
Jenny Berschling
Vikki Day
Chris O'Brien
Nan O’Leary
Laura Nassau
Rosemary Zamore
Dawn Willis, Artistic Director, ex officio