Photo: Terry L. Photography
Shelley Marwood (she/her) is a Canadian composer whose music has been described as "laugh out loud funny" (Selfie, Classic Concerts NS), "charming and wistful" (Merge, CAML), and "full of personality" (Merge, Notations). Her output includes works for orchestra, wind ensemble, opera, choir, chamber ensembles, and solo instruments. Her music is frequently narrative, theatrical and comedic, strongly emotional, and visually evocative. She has had works commissioned and performed across North America and in Europe by ensembles such as the Vancouver, Winnipeg, and Windsor Symphony Orchestra, Ensemble Contemporain de Montréal, Rubbing Stone Ensemble, Jubilate Singers, Toy Piano Composers, and the UCalgary String Quartet. Recent and notable commissions include works for the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (Olympic Commissioning Project 2010), the Windsor Symphony Orchestra (Windsor Canadian Music Festival 2009), Toronto's Jubilate Singers (2014), and both the Goodchild Grady Duo and the Greater Windsor Concert Band in 2017.
After an early focus on orchestral music, Shelley has enjoyed the recent challenge of writing for the voice in various forms: two choral commissions (Elements and These Fragile Snowflakes); a one-act opera (Say No to the Dress) that has so far received performances in both Toronto and Halifax; the commission and premiere of In Spring by Kelsey Taylor and Colin Frotten; and participation in VISI's 2014 Art Song Lab with her comedic and theatrical art song Selfie that has now been performed by several different sopranos and pianists across Canada and the United States. Most recently, the Regent Park School of Music in Toronto commissioned her for three works for soprano and piano, as part of their Songbook project (premiered in May 2019). Upcoming is another collaboration with writer Maria Reva (Selfie), a song cycle that was supported with a grant from the Canada Council for the Arts.
In 2015 Shelley won both the Karen Kieser Prize in Canadian Music (Imaginings) and the UofT Choral Composition Competition (These Fragile Snowflakes). She also received first prize in the 2008 Canadian Music Centre Prairie Region Emerging Composers’ Competition (Illumination), was a finalist in the 2006 Land's End Composers' Competition (Piano Trio No.1), and was one of the featured composers of the 2009 Windsor Canadian Music Festival. Her piece Merge has received excellent reviews since its inclusion on the Rubbing Stone Ensemble's debut CD "The Lethbridge Sessions", released by Centrediscs in May 2014. Her work has received support from grants through the Ontario Arts Council, the Canada Council for the Arts, the University of Toronto, The Banff Centre, and the SOCAN Foundation.
Shelley holds degrees from the University of Toronto (DMA '19), the University of Calgary (MMus '10), the University of Windsor (BMus '04), and an A.R.C.T. in Piano Performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music. She currently runs a piano studio in Toronto, enjoys running (two half-marathons and Around the Bay 30K so far!), knitting, and has been a voracious reader for as long as she can remember.
After an early focus on orchestral music, Shelley has enjoyed the recent challenge of writing for the voice in various forms: two choral commissions (Elements and These Fragile Snowflakes); a one-act opera (Say No to the Dress) that has so far received performances in both Toronto and Halifax; the commission and premiere of In Spring by Kelsey Taylor and Colin Frotten; and participation in VISI's 2014 Art Song Lab with her comedic and theatrical art song Selfie that has now been performed by several different sopranos and pianists across Canada and the United States. Most recently, the Regent Park School of Music in Toronto commissioned her for three works for soprano and piano, as part of their Songbook project (premiered in May 2019). Upcoming is another collaboration with writer Maria Reva (Selfie), a song cycle that was supported with a grant from the Canada Council for the Arts.
In 2015 Shelley won both the Karen Kieser Prize in Canadian Music (Imaginings) and the UofT Choral Composition Competition (These Fragile Snowflakes). She also received first prize in the 2008 Canadian Music Centre Prairie Region Emerging Composers’ Competition (Illumination), was a finalist in the 2006 Land's End Composers' Competition (Piano Trio No.1), and was one of the featured composers of the 2009 Windsor Canadian Music Festival. Her piece Merge has received excellent reviews since its inclusion on the Rubbing Stone Ensemble's debut CD "The Lethbridge Sessions", released by Centrediscs in May 2014. Her work has received support from grants through the Ontario Arts Council, the Canada Council for the Arts, the University of Toronto, The Banff Centre, and the SOCAN Foundation.
Shelley holds degrees from the University of Toronto (DMA '19), the University of Calgary (MMus '10), the University of Windsor (BMus '04), and an A.R.C.T. in Piano Performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music. She currently runs a piano studio in Toronto, enjoys running (two half-marathons and Around the Bay 30K so far!), knitting, and has been a voracious reader for as long as she can remember.
Curriculum Vitae - Download full CV here.
For questions about scores, commissions, performances, or any other inquiries, please email me at:
shelleymarwood <at> gmail.com
shelleymarwood <at> gmail.com