Shelby Trevor is a violinist, director, teacher, and lifelong learner with world-class experience performing, teaching, and studying music. Shelby looks past genres and believes in awakening creativity, intrigue, and self awareness through the arts.
Shelby grew up in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire and began studying the violin at the Concord Community Music School (CCMS) at age six. In 2009, Shelby received his Undergraduate Diploma in Violin Performance and continued in the Graduate Performance Diploma program at the Longy School of Music. Shelby performed and instructed in the Boston area until 2014. Shelby moved to Fernandina Beach, FL in 2014 and continued his career as a performer and instructor of music.
Shelby has performed as soloist, chamber musician, and orchestra member throughout New England and in the First Coast of Florida region. Shelby has performed solo and chamber music recitals in venues such as Advice to the Players concert series (NH), Story & Song (FL), Palace Theater (NH), Embry-Riddle concert series (FL), Longy School of Music (MA). In his youth, Shelby performed a private recital for the President of the National Endowment for the Arts, was a featured soloist for the Lakes Region Symphony Orchestra, played first violin during his junior and senior years at the Concord Community Music School performing for the NH Governor’s inauguration ceremony, and as guests with the NH Symphony.
Shelby frequently offers solo performances with the Amelia Island Community String Orchestra, where he leads the orchestra from his seat as concertmaster. Shelby has been growing and directing the AICSO since 2015. He has performed Bach’s Double Violin Concerto as soloist (Violin I) with the Suzuki School of Newton’s Faculty Orchestra, has appeared as concertmaster with the Great Woods Chamber Orchestra of Wheaton College, performed for the Visit Florida broadcast as a representative of the Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival, has played as a studio orchestra member for public radio WGBH, Boston. Shelby performs with the First Coast Opera company in St. Augustine, FL, as solo violin, principle 2nd, and section violin. Shelby performs frequently as concertmaster with the Island Chamber Singers FL. In the past, Shelby has performed as section violin with the Cape Ann Symphony Orchestra for. He is currently in demand as a freelancing violinist throughout Northeast Florida and Southern Georgia areas.
As an active composer, Shelby has written and performed several works for classical genres such as piano quartet, string quartet, violin and piano duo, violin solo, piano solo, and a symphonic work. He has also composed various Folk melodies and arrangements. An advocate for New Music, he has also performed several new works for composition students and faculty at Longy School of Music, Composers in Red Sneakers, the Boston New Music Initiative, and for composers of the Rossini Club Performance Series.
Shelby's folk music studies began when he attended the New Hampshire Scottish School of the Arts. There he studied Celtic and European Folk music with Kenny Butler and Barbara McGowen. He attended The Swannanoa Gathering at Warren Wilson College in Asheville, NC, where he studied with National Scottish Fiddle Champion Bonnie Rideout. He also studied and performed with David Surette at the CCMS.
Shelby has won prizes at many fiddle competitions including the New Hampshire Highland Games Regional and National Competitions for the under eighteen division, Old Time Fiddle Contest of Stark, NH, and the Concord Old Time Fiddle Contest.
Shelby was a founding member of the Granite String Band, a folk band performing mostly Celtic music.
Shelby is the violin instructor for Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival’s String Education Program, Arts Alive Nassau. Both programs provide free after school music classes in Nassau County. Shelby also has a private studio of wonderful and dedicated students which he teaches weekly.