Classical and Jazz Compositions of Shawn Garmon Can Be Heard on Her MySpace Page

[Shawn Garmon]

Musicologist Dr. Helen Walker-Hill helped introduce us to the music of Shawn Garmon of Norman, Oklahoma. Dr. Walker-Hill told us in an email last year: “Her body of works includes a couple of outstanding string quartets, and lots of other beautiful pieces for various media.” We also learned that Shawn Garmon had donated a large number of scores to the Center for Black Music Research at Columbia College Chicago.

Her bio indicates she is “Currently working on a DMA in Music Composition at The University of Oklahoma.” It states that she has earned three degrees at Wichita State University: “Master of Music, Instrumental Conducting, 2004; Master of Music, Music Theory and Composition, 2003; and Bachelor of Music, Music Theory and Composition, 1996.” Shawn lists additional studies “at the University of New Orleans and Southern University at New Orleans.”

We first heard Movement II (4:16) from the composer's String Quartet No. 1. It is among several works which may be sampled at the MySpace page of Shawn Garmon, such as Freedom (4:21) and Perceptions (4:16). On her MySpace page she describes her genres as “Classical and Nu-Jazz.”

Much of Shawn's career has involved jazz, but she has recently composed some works in a more classical style as well. Her personal music label is Redemption Records. An easy way to gain an introduction to both the classical and jazz sides of her music is to listen to audio samples at: http://www.myspace.com/shawngarmon/music