Caleb Burhans
Class of 1997

Caleb Burhans graduated from Parker High School in 1997. He was a member of orchestra, choir, and band. He also performed with the Janesville Golden Strings and the Beloit Janesville Symphony Orchestra. As a senior, he was featured in two student assemblies where he played violin music, and both the choir and orchestra performed compositions he wrote. Students gave him a standing ovation. He made being a musician and composer “cool.” He attended the Interlochen Arts Academy as well as the Eastman School of Music where he earned a BA (2003) in viola performance and composition. He then moved to New York City to pursue his career as a musician, singer, and composer.
Since 2003, he and his wife have sung with the country’s top professional choirs. His group Alarm Will Sound was “Ensemble in Residence” at Dickinson College for three years where he was on the faculty. In October 2008, The New York Times did a feature on Burhans’ career that recognizes him for his wide range of musical styles and talents. He has performed around the world and has appeared on MTV, the David Letterman show, and at Madison Square Garden with Bruce Springsteen. In 2009, Burhans was awarded the Annenberg Foundation Career Grant which has allowed him to continue his work as a composer. Carnegie Hall, the Library of Congress, Lincoln Center, and the Albany Symphony have commissioned Burhans for original compositions.
Burhans always mentions in interviews his Janesville beginnings. When he comes to Wisconsin, it is often to support Janesville’s music scene. He has raised money for the Janesville Performing Arts Center, as well as given classes at the University of Rock County and Parker. In 2010, a new CD was released with his group Newspeak which features one of his new works Requiem for a General Motors in Janesville, WI.