Violinist Shelley Mathews was born in London, England but considers her hometown the Washington DC metro area.   Ms. Mathews currently performs in chamber, orchestral, and opera orchestra settings.  Venues have included the Music Center at Strathmore, Warner Theatre, the Shakespeare Theatre, Kennedy Center, Washington National Cathedral, and the Verizon Center.  She currently holds the position of Section Violin in the Sarasota Opera Orchestra and as a freelance violinist, has regularly performed with National Philharmonic, Washington Ballet Orchestra, Washington Concert Opera, and Richmond Symphony.  She has also performed in arena settings with Rod Stewart, The Who, Game of Thrones, and has appeared on NPR's Tiny Desk Series.  

 Ms. Mathews has taken part in several music festivals, including the Aims Festival Orchestra in Graz, Austria, and has also performed with Spoleto Festival USA, an opera and orchestra festival in Charleston, SC, National Orchestral Institute, and as a student spent her summers at Eastern 

Music Festival in Greensboro, NC and Heifetz Music Institute in Wolfeboro, NH.

 

Ms. Mathews earned a Bachelor of Music in Performance from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY where she was a student of Charles Castleman, and studied chamber music with members of the Ying Quartet.  She holds a Master's of Music from Florida State University where she attended on graduate Assistantship as a student of Beth Newdome.  While at Florida State, she was in a nationally televised PBS special "Peanuts Gallery" featuring the music of composer Ellen Taafe Zwillich.  She was also a member of the Eolina String Quartet and member of the Tallahassee Symphony.

 

Ms. Mathews is also a dedicated teacher and currently has a small private studio.  She has served as a regular sectional coach for Maryland Classics Youth Orchestra, and has served on the judges panel for several DC area competitions.  Ms. Mathews has served as Chair of the Jack Weaver Memorial Competition and is a member of American String Teachers Association (ASTA).

 

Ms. Mathews' violin is also from England, by maker George Barton, 1798. She currently resides in Silver Spring, MD and is proud mom to daughter, Rosie.