Violinist | Educator | Creative Strategist
Helping musicians and makers communicate with clarity and authenticity.
Meet Shelley (Performance Bio)
Born in London and raised in the Washington, D.C. metro area, violinist Shelley Mathews performs across orchestral, chamber, and opera orchestra settings. As a freelance violinist, she has performed with National Philharmonic, Washington Ballet Orchestra, Washington Concert Opera, Richmond Symphony, and holds a section violin position with the Sarasota Opera Orchestra.
Her playing has taken her to venues including the Kennedy Center, Warner Theatre, Strathmore, and Washington National Cathedral. Shelley has also performed in arena settings with Rod Stewart, The Who, and Game of Thrones Live, and appeared on NPR’s Tiny Desk Series. She is also an active performer with Sing for Hope, a New York-based nonprofit that brings live music to public spaces.
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She plays a 1798 George Barton violin and is a proud mom to her daughter, Rosie.
Training & Artistic Development
Shelley earned a Bachelor of Music in Performance from the Eastman School of Music, where she studied with Charles Castleman and members of the Ying Quartet, and a Master of Music from Florida State University under Beth Newdome, where she held a graduate assistantship. While at FSU, she appeared in the PBS special “Peanuts Gallery” and performed with the Tallahassee Symphony and Eolina String Quartet.
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She has performed at music festivals such as Spoleto Festival USA, the AIMS Festival Orchestra in Graz, Austria, and the National Orchestral Institute. As a student, she spent summers at Eastern Music Festival and the Heifetz Music Institute.
Educator & Studio Mentor
Shelley teaches a small private violin studio in Bethesda, MD, within walking distance of the Grosvenor-Strathmore Metro. Her students have earned top placements in youth orchestras and gone on to study music in college and beyond. She is a past sectional coach for the Maryland Classic Youth Orchestras, has chaired the Jack Weaver Memorial Competition, and is a member of ASTA and the American Federation of Musicians (AFM).
Creative Strategy for Musicians & Makers
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Shelley expanded her professional skillset by earning digital marketing certifications from Thinkful (by Chegg) and the University of Virginia (Applied Business) Digital Marketing Strategy program. What began as a response to an industry-wide pause quickly became a new channel for creativity and connection.
Shelley now helps musicians, arts organizations, and small business owners communicate with clarity and purpose—whether refining a website, launching a teaching studio, or shaping an authentic online presence. Her experience includes working with yoga studios, law firms, and financial professionals, but her passion remains helping fellow creatives bring their ideas to life with confidence.
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