2018 Bios

Two bios for the price of one:

This one was first published in Portland Symphonic Choir's "Movie Madness" concert program in 2010.

Composer Gary Shannon

Voice coach, singer, actor, pianist, and composer, Gary Shannon is the tenor section leader for the Portland Symphonic Choir. He arranged the brilliant finale for our 2010 concert, That's Entertainment, “Movie Madness” finale

Gary received his Bachelor of Music in Composition and Education from San Jose State University with great distinction, writing two musicals and an opera before graduating. Moving to Portland in 1979, he served as musical director for Group At Hand, The Musical Company, and Cabaret Magnifique, as well as music director and arranger for The Dickens Carolers, guest director and arranger for The Oregon Repertory Singers, and vocalist and counter-tenor soloist with the internationally recognized Choral Cross-Ties. Mr. Shannon performed tenor and counter-tenor solos for Oregon Symphony Orchestra, Bravo Vancouver, and Cascade Music Festival concerts of Bernstein's Mass, Chichester Psalms, West Side Story, and Gershwin's Porgy and Bess.

A talented actor,Gary held the highest score ever awarded by the Association of Community Theaters for his “Judas” in Jesus Christ, Superstar, his record broken two years later by Henry Fonda On Golden Pond. Currently, Gary works as the music director for The Rose City Timberliners men's chorus and as the choir director and organist for St Timothy's Lutheran Church. He teaches music and singing online at Voice-Mentor.com.

Here's a 2018 bio focusing  on vocal coaching and accompanying for a private recital program for Yi Triplett.

    Gary Shannon is an influential musician, rehearsal pianist, vocal coach, choral director, classically trained tenor and composer in Portland, Oregon, from Santa Cruz, California.
      San Jose State University of California awarded his Bachelor of Arts in Music Education with Great Distinction with associate degrees in keyboards, vocal performance, theater arts and music composition under Drs. Charlene Archibeque, Tikey Zes, Lou Harrison, and Allen Strange in 1979. He co-founded Portland, Oregon's "Group at Hand" Theater Company with Carole Lowden in 1980, producing, directing, and performing musicals, operas, and plays until her unexpected retirement in 1984. Freelancing, Gary sang, directed, accompanied, coached, and composed music for The Portland Dickens Carolers, Oregon Repertory Singers for Gil Seeley, Oregon Symphony Pops under Norman Leyden, Choral Cross-Ties and Portland State University with Bruce Browne , Marylhurst University for Justin Smith, and varied local churches. Mr. Shannon won top prizes in the 1984 Yamaha Electone Organ national competition performing an original excerpt from his Organ Sonata in E.
      Gary currently leads the Portland Symphonic Choir tenor section, directs the Rose City Timberliners Barbershop Chorus, serves as pianist and choir director for St. Timothy Lutheran Church, and provides online and in-person accompanist and vocal coach services through his own company, Voice-Mentor.com. His upcoming project is preparing his portfolio of recordings, compositions, and arrangements for online publication.
     He and his wife share a cozy home in southeast Portland with their two adult children, a pair of persnickety cats, and a pampered bunny.