Solstice has enthralled audiences with their technically precise and passionate treatment of music for women’s voices since 1996. These seven women take pride in sharing their joy of singing together and strive for human connection through the power of song with each performance. Their music spans many different genres, with an emphasis on international folk, western classical, pop, and jazz.
The group has performed in many Bay Area and Northern California venues, including The Freight and Salvage, La Pena Cultural Center, the San Francisco Community Music Center, Music on the Hill, the Berkeley Arts Center, Villa Montalvo, Kuumbwa Jazz, the Opus Chamber Music series, and the Mendocino Music Festival. Solstice has recorded five albums and performed multiple times on KALW radio, including featured appearances on “A Patchwork Quilt” and the “Folk Music and Beyond” On-Air Folk Festival. They are the 2007 Regional champions of the Harmony Sweepstakes a cappella competition, and took 3rd place nationally that year.
“I’ve heard Solstice sing many times over the years and I treasure the energy, joy, beauty, and meticulous musicianship they bring to their performances.” — Mark Schaeffer, Rose Avenue Acoustic Delights concert series host
Recordings
Solstice released their self-titled CD in February 2000, recorded at the Presidio Chapel in San Francisco. The CD includes music from eleven countries in nine different languages, spanning more than 900 years, and features original songs and arrangements. Primarily A Cappella called the recording "a thoughtful and intelligent debut." The album won critical acclaim and a Contemporary A Cappella Recording Award for Best Folk/World Song nomination for Blood and Gold. Produced by Solstice.
Full Circle, released in 2004 and also recorded at the Presidio Chapel, has a wide range of material including the Macedonian folk song Shto Mi E Milo; the Cuban Bossa Cubana; Tracy Nelson's blues tune Down So Low; the soaring, tambourine-accompanied A Chantar; and the original wedding song by a founding member Sheryl Kaskowitz, I Carry Your Heart With Me. Primarily A Cappella reviewed the album as having "complex, difficult harmonies, well-chosen, rarely-heard selections, sung with spirit and joy by these six very talented women.” Produced by Jim Hale.
Rise, was recorded at Skyline Studios in Oakland and released in May, 2008. Rise continues the group's tradition of offering music from Palestrina to Paul Simon, in eight different languages. The album includes Becca Burrington’s award-winning arrangement of Joni Mitchell’s Blue, in addition to 3 nordic folksongs from Finno-Ugric Landscapes by Veljo Tormis. and Sara Webb-Schmitz’s arrangement of Hazel Dickens’ West Virginia, My Home. Produced by Jim Hale.
In response to multiple requests from our friends and fans, Winter Solstice, features a lovely mix of Winter and Holiday songs. Highlights include local composer Cortlandt Bender’s Rosa Mystica, Swedish carol Jul, jul strålande jul (by Gustaf Nordqvist, words by Edvard Evers), and 3 modern pieces with Medieval texts by Williametta Spencer. Produced by Solstice with help from Cort Bender.