2020-21 CGE Mentor
Shawna Pennock
Shawna Pennock has been described as “rich and powerful, yet lightly effervescent” (Classical Voice of North Carolina) and “towering” (Textura). Pennock serves as Visiting Assistant Professor of Saxophone at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Pennock has won top prizes in competitions including 1st Prizes at the North American Saxophone Alliance Quartet Competition, ENKÖR Chamber Music Competition, Southern Division of Music Teachers National Association Chamber Competition North Carolina MTNA Chamber Competition, University of Georgia Concerto Competition, and the North Carolina MTNA Young Artist Competition. She has performed across three continents in Panama, France, Hong Kong, Thailand, Russia, and the United States.
She is the creator of the Live Warm-Up, an online 1-hour warm-up full of fun and engaging skill building activities that teach saxophonists (beginner- advanced) technique and musicality. The warm-up family consists of people from different skill levels from young middle school students to college professors. The Live Warm-up continues to reach people around the world as an inclusive space for saxophonists of any demographic or background.
Her solo CD Fledglings (Fall 2020) includes new works by the following composers. These pieces were pedagogically conceived to guide the saxophonist to properly execute each extended technique. Pennock is currently the tenor saxophonist for the Dasch Quartet. Their debut CD "Necessary Edges" a collection of romantic string transcriptions by Dvorak, Puccini, and Smetana, was described as "immaculate" and "exquisitely done and played" (Clarinet and Saxophone Society of Great Britain).
Pennock earned her Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Georgia. She holds a Master of Music degree and Professional Artist certificate from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and a Bachelor of Music degree with an education certificate from The University of Iowa. Her former teachers include Connie Frigo, Taimur Sullivan, Kenneth Tse, and Robin Ciccotelli.
Pennock has won top prizes in competitions including 1st Prizes at the North American Saxophone Alliance Quartet Competition, ENKÖR Chamber Music Competition, Southern Division of Music Teachers National Association Chamber Competition North Carolina MTNA Chamber Competition, University of Georgia Concerto Competition, and the North Carolina MTNA Young Artist Competition. She has performed across three continents in Panama, France, Hong Kong, Thailand, Russia, and the United States.
She is the creator of the Live Warm-Up, an online 1-hour warm-up full of fun and engaging skill building activities that teach saxophonists (beginner- advanced) technique and musicality. The warm-up family consists of people from different skill levels from young middle school students to college professors. The Live Warm-up continues to reach people around the world as an inclusive space for saxophonists of any demographic or background.
Her solo CD Fledglings (Fall 2020) includes new works by the following composers. These pieces were pedagogically conceived to guide the saxophonist to properly execute each extended technique. Pennock is currently the tenor saxophonist for the Dasch Quartet. Their debut CD "Necessary Edges" a collection of romantic string transcriptions by Dvorak, Puccini, and Smetana, was described as "immaculate" and "exquisitely done and played" (Clarinet and Saxophone Society of Great Britain).
Pennock earned her Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Georgia. She holds a Master of Music degree and Professional Artist certificate from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and a Bachelor of Music degree with an education certificate from The University of Iowa. Her former teachers include Connie Frigo, Taimur Sullivan, Kenneth Tse, and Robin Ciccotelli.