Taylor Shea

Taylor Shea is a Miami-based violinist and violist from Billings, Montana who began teaching in 2020. An avid orchestral musician, he has had the privilege of performing under the batons of such luminaries as Gerard Schwarz, Barbara Hannigan, John Adams, and Marin Alsop. He has performed as principal violist of the Pennsylvania Chamber Orchestra, Penn State Philharmonic, New Jersey Sinfonietta, Eastman Philharmonia, and the Young Artists Orchestra of Boston University’s Tanglewood Institute.

Other orchestral experience includes performances with the Palm Beach Symphony, Juilliard Orchestra, Williamsport Symphony, and Interlochen’s World Youth Symphony Orchestra. In 2021, he won the Penn State Concerto Competition and performed the Walton Viola Concerto with Penn State’s Philharmonic Orchestra. Chamber music brings him great joy, with former mentors including cellist Astrid Schween, violinist Joseph Lin, cellist Timothy Eddy, and pianist Robert Levin. He has performed in master classes with Cynthia Phelps, Jonathan Vinocour, Roger Tapping, and David Harding; as well as members of the Danish, Mivos, Muir, Ying, and Carpe Diem String Quartets. Chamber music festivals include Juilliard’s annual ChamberFest, the Bowdoin International Music Festival, and the Tanglewood Institute String Quartet Workshop. During his time at Juilliard, Taylor held a Gluck Community Service Fellowship, which allowed him to share chamber music with audiences in youth shelters, hospices, retirement communities, and hospitals. Taylor’s former teachers include Carol Rodland, Timothy Deighton, Amy Letson, and Mary LaMonaca.

He holds a Bachelor of Music degree from The Juilliard School, as well as a Professional Performer’s Certificate and Master of Music degree from Penn State University. Outside of his musical pursuits, Taylor enjoys brewing freshly-ground coffee, gardening, baking pastries, and running.