Recent and Upcoming Events

Of Lakes and Legends: Scenes from White Bear Lake (Concert Band)

Shirley’s concert band suite Of Lakes and Legends is receiving two performances this spring: on Mon. Mar. 3, 2025, by the University of Minnesota Gold Campus Band at Ted Mann Concert Hall (conducted by U of M doctoral student Seth Davis) and on Thu. Apr. 24, 2025, by the top band at the University of South Dakota (conducted by USD doctoral student Justin Pray Lincoln). The Mar. 3 concert at the U of M will be livestreamed – you can watch it here.

Of Lakes and Legends: Scenes from White Bear Lake was first composed for the Century Chamber Orchestra and premiered in May 2017 at Century College in White Bear Lake, MN.  The work has subsequently been recorded and performed by the Zagreb Philharmonic (Czech Republic).  Reggie Buresh, a longtime member of the Century Band as well as the Century Chamber Orchestra, commissioned this transcription for concert band, and the concert band rendition was premiered by the Century College Concert Band (Charles Preis, Director) in November 2023.  The scrolling score video for this transcription is now viewable on YouTube.

Holden Village Vespers

In 2024, Claire Larson, Director of Bands at Kenyon-Wanamingo High School, commissioned Shirley to compose a band work based on Marty Haugen’s Holden Evening Prayer, a vespers service he wrote in 1985-86 while in residence at Holden Village (a Lutheran retreat in the Cascade Mountains in Washington State).  The new work, Holden Village Vespers, was premiered by the Kenyon Wanamingo High School Band at their “Sounds of the Season” concert on Mon. Dec. 9, 2024. (The concert was livestreamed and can be viewed on YouTube here.)

The Kenyon-Wanamingo High School Band was selected to perform at the 2025 MMEA Midwinter Convention in Mpls, MN, and will play Holden Village Vespers again on their MMEA program on Friday morning Feb. 14, 2025.

Holden Village Vespers is truly a collaborative effort, a project that celebrates the power of music and community. Thank you to Claire Larson and the Rachel Nesseth Extra Mile Foundation (which funded the commission), and congratulations to the Kenyon Wanamingo High School Band for a successful project and premiere!

Deep Freeze

The Capilano University Instrumental Ensemble (located in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada) will perform Shirley’s flex-band work Deep Freeze at their concert on Nov. 29, 2024, 7:30pm. The concert is titled “Vivid Landscapes” and features visually evocative compositions such as Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition and Vaughan Williams’ English Folk Song Suite. Thank you to director Karen Nakajima for including Deep Freeze on this program – best wishes for a successful concert (and fair weather)!

Forge Ahead!

Shirley’s band work Forge Ahead! was featured on two programs at Winona State University concerts in November – at the High School Honor Band Festival on Sat. Nov. 2, and at the WSU Wind Ensemble Concert on Sun. Nov. 3.

The High School Honor Band Festival is a longstanding tradition at WSU – this year it featured works by Minnesota composers (including a world premiere by Eric Heukeshoven), and I was honored that my music was a part of it. Thank you to director Janet Heukeshoven for programming these works, and congratulations on a successful weekend of performances!

Music Directing and Performing

Comedy Improv

Shirley is excited to be playing piano on the comedy improv stage again!  In March 2024 she performed a monthlong gig with Stevie Ray’s Comedy Cabaret at the Chanhassen Dinner Theatre, and since August 2023 she has performed multiple gigs with the Masters of Improvisation at Crooners Supper Club and other venues. They are returning to Crooner’s on Thu. Nov. 21 at 6:30pm in celebration of Crooner’s 10-year anniversary – get your tickets here and see you there!