Shawn Okpebholo

Shawn E. Okpebholo (born March 28, 1981) is an American composer and conductor. The music of Okpebholo has been performed in over twenty-five states, as well as Canada, Africa, Europe, and Asia at various distinguished venues and festivals, including the Monte Music Festival in Goa, India; the National Cathedral; MusicX Contemporary Music Festival; state music festivals of Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and Texas; PRIZM Ensemble Concert Series; and The University of North Carolina at Greensboro New Music Festival where he was an invited special guest lecturer and composer. Other invited guest lecture appearances and masterclasses include the University of Benin (Nigeria) and Biola University Conservatory of Music, among others.

Okpebholo has received commissions from many noted soloists, universities and organizations, including the International Tuba and Euphonium Association, the United States Air Force Band of Mid America, the Ohio Music Education Association and the Jackson Symphony Orchestra. Dr. Okpebholo received his B.A. in composition and music history from Asbury College and his M.M. and D.M.A. in composition and theory from the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music—with additional study in film scoring at New York University. His primary teachers were James Curnow, Joel Hoffman, Ronald Holz, and Michael Fiday. He was a recipient of the Union University Pew Research Grant; a fellow with the National Bandmaster's Association Young Composers Mentor Project; has been awarded first prizes in the Accent06 International Composition Competition, KMEA All-Collegiate Composition Contest, Peniston Honors in Composition and has been an annual recipient of the ASCAPlus awards since 2004. He was also one of eighteen featured composers in Volume IV of the book series, "Composer's on Composing for Band," edited by Mark Camphouse. .^[1]

Dr. Okpebholo is currently an assistant professor of theory at Wheaton College-Conservatory of Music.^[2]

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