Del’Shawn is an award-winning musician, author, educator, and arts equity advocate. As a soloist, he has won awards from competitions such as American Prize and the Metropolitan International Music Festival, while making solo debuts on national and international stages. In January 2023, he premiered the role of George in Tim Hick’s and Kendra Leonard’s new short opera Water Rising.
As composer, he has premiered new works within and outside of the U.S. premiered with numerous organizations and ensembles like the Julius Quartet, the Cincinnati Song Initiative, Really Spicy Opera, and Babεl to name a few. Del’Shawn had four new art songs premiered at the Operation Opera Festival at Gonzaga University and a new art song premiered apart of the Source Song Festival under the tutelage of Libby Larsen and David Evan Thomas. Del’Shawn was one of ten black composers that was selected to participate in the inaugural NATS Composer Mentoring Program by Tom Cipullo and Lori Laitman, during which he was mentored by celebrated composer Juliana Hall. In March 2023, Del’Shawn had his first opera Cook Shack premiered with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis with librettist Samiya Bashir through their New Works Collective. Currently, Del’Shawn was recently commissioned by Experiments in Opera to write a new opera with librettist Joanie Cunningham that will premiere in 2024.
As an educator and children’s book author, Del’Shawn passionately works with community arts organizations to ensure that children regardless of socio-economic background have access to the transformative power of the arts. He is a board member of Art Song Colorado (program and finance committee), Inside the Orchestra and serves on the board DEI committees of the South Bend Symphony Orchestra and Thompson Street Opera Company.