Shelley Showers became a member of The Philadelphia Orchestra in 1997 after serving as acting principal horn of the Cleveland Orchestra. In 1997 she played principal horn on the Grammy Award-winning Cleveland Orchestra recording of Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique under the direction of Pierre Boulez. Previously she was principal horn and soloist of the Utah Symphony. She began her career with the New Jersey Symphony and subsequently was acting associate principal horn of the Cincinnati Symphony.
A native of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Ms. Showers earned her Bachelor of Music degree from the Curtis Institute of Music. Her teachers have included Mason Jones, Myron Bloom, Nolan Miller, Randy Gardner, and Stephanie Fauber. As a student Ms. Showers performed at various summer music festivals and won solo contests in Texas at Southern Methodist University and in California at the Music Academy of the West. She has performed with the Pennsylvania Ballet, Concerto Soloists of Philadelphia (now the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia), American Ballet Theatre, Solisti New York, and the New Haven Symphony, among others.
Ms. Showers has participated as a chamber music performer in the Deer Valley International Chamber Music Festival, the Nova Series, and the Utah Music Festival. She has also participated in the Aspen Music Festival as principal horn and faculty member, and the Kent/Blossom Music Festival as a faculty member and chamber musician. She has served on the faculties of the Cleveland Institute of Music and Philadelphia Biblical University, and is currently on the faculty of the Temple University School of Music, where she is a member of the Conwell Woodwind Quintet.
Ms. Showers served as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Curtis Institute of Music as Alumni Council representative to the Board; she also served on the Annual Fund Committee, the Development Committee, and the Student Life Committee. She is currently a member of the Board of Philadelphia Orchestra Retirees and Friends.
Photo by Jessica Griffin