Say hello to Dante Santos, a member since early May 2017.
Dante has been involved in music since he was a child, beginning with a lot of musical theater and children's choir. The first time he was exposed to barbershop was while watching The Music Man. He realized barbershop was not just from old movies when he moved to Seattle and one of his good friends was in a Sweet Adelines chorus (AJoy). He attended one of her performances and Storm Front was guest performing. He found it hilarious and he enjoyed it so much that he watched the videos on repeat. That led to watching other competition videos and it was all downhill from there.
Dante’s friend Isaac Banner introduced him to Northwest Sound. Dante was directing an acappella group at Microsoft and they needed a vocal percussionist. Isaac is a beat boxer so they worked out a deal, Dante would come to Northwest Sound and Isaac would join the Microsoft group.
Dante has a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Olin College of Engineering in Boston, Massachusettes. Olin focuses on experimental engineering education that focus on real-world projects. He came to Seattle to work at Microsoft but has since moved to a start-up company that works in camera stabilization equipment for Hollywood movies, Freefly Systems. He is new to the space of filmography but has studied robotics and project management and is enjoying the new challenge.
Since joining Northwest Sound Dante has attended one international convention and been recruited for quartets within the chorus. The quartetting is still in the future but looks good for getting going. And, there’s always Quartet Initiative coming up.
In his spare time, Dante practices archery and states he is something of an amateur architect focusing on tiny houses and minimalist living. He also is an avid Contra Dancer.
Dante is a Boston boy, born and raised. All his family is in Boston. He really likes Seattle because you can go outside any time of year and it’s “not going to kill you.” Boston is really hot and humid in the summer and really cold in the winter whereas in Seattle it might be grey but it is nice.