Dr. Shawn O’Connor (she/her) is a jazz musician, educator, and woodwind doubler based in the Midwest (Indianapolis and Muncie areas). She is Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Music and Theatre at Marian University in Indianapolis where she also directs the MU Jazz Bands. Dr. O’Connor is a Yamaha Performing Artist and Vandoren Artist Clinician, and holds a PhD in Music Education and Jazz Pedagogy from the IU Jacobs School of Music and a Master of Music in Clarinet Performance from the Butler University School of Music. Shawn has been a guest artist and clinician for the Music for All National Festival, Music for All Summer Symposium, IU Jacobs School of Music Summer Jazz Clinics, Bloomington Jazz Festival, Purdue Jazz Festival, Freddie Hubbard Jazz Festival, Pendleton Jazz Festival, Marian University Jazz Festival, Snider Jazz Festival, ISSMA Jazz Festivals, and guest directed the IJEA All-District Jazz Band. Shawn has presented at the Jazz Education Network (JEN) national conference, is a member of the Wave Mechanics Union prog-jazz ensemble, directs the Swing Shift Indy Big Band and the 65th Street Klezmorim, plays lead alto with the Dan Nix Big Band, plays and directs various musicals, and performs regularly with her trio, the Shawn/Shawn Redemption, and quartet, the Shawn O’Connor Quartet. Shawn has been a featured guest soloist with the Indiana Wind Symphony, the Taylor University Jazz Band, the Pride of Indy Jazz Band, the Symphonic Youth Orchestra of Greater Indianapolis, and the Marian University Wind Ensemble. Shawn’s duo album with pianist Gary Walters, Not Benny’s Goodman, featuring jazz clarinet and piano, is available on Spotify and Apple Music. Shawn plays Yamaha clarinets and saxophones exclusively.
