Shawn Galvin is a percussionist, conductor, and arts leader known for his creativity and collaborative spirit. He has appeared at venues around the world including Carnegie Hall, Royal Albert Hall,  the Musikverein, the Concertgebouw, and countless festivals, art galleries and basement rock clubs.

Shawn has performed as percussionist and timpanist with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra since 1996 during which time he contributed to many of the PSO’s highly regarded recordings including the winner of the 2018 Grammy Award for Best Orchestral Performance, and participated in eight international tours. He founded New Music Raleigh, “the Southeast's most plugged-in musical collective devoted to the work of living composers” (Indy Week) which presents bespoke contemporary classical performances. He has also served as percussionist and timpanist of the United States Navy Band, Washington, DC and Tempus Fugit Percussion Ensemble.

As a conductor, Shawn has led productions for the Arizona Opera, Duke Performances, and North Carolina Opera. He has collaborated on projects with members of Big Star, R.E.M., Wilco, and Yo La Tengo. He has produced events for the National Gallery of Art, the North Carolina Symphony, CAM Raleigh, and Hopscotch Music Festival, and has served on panels for New Music USA, the Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance, and the Opportunity Fund.

Shawn is Artist-in-Residence at the Louisiana State University School of Music. He has presented at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention, Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, Music for All National Festival, as well as at universities across the country.

In 2023, Shawn began as Orchestra Manager at Spoleto Festival USA, one of the finest most multifaceted, and vital professional opportunities in the US for early-career orchestral musicians. The Spoleto Festival USA Orchestra is formed anew each year though nationwide auditions and performs major orchestral concerts, operas, ballets and other special projects during the annual 17-day festival in Charleston, SC.

Shawn is an Artist/Educational Clinician for Yamaha Percussion, Innovative Percussion, and Zildjian.

Recordings

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra - Bruckner: Symphony No. 7 - Bates: Resurriexit, Manfred Honeck - (Reference 2024) - Percussion

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra - Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5 and Schulhoff: Five Pieces, Manfred Honeck - (Reference 2023) - Percussion

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra - Beethoven Symphony No. 6 Stucky Silent Spring, Manfred Honeck - (Reference 2022) - Percussion

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra - Beethoven Symphony No. 9, Manfred Honeck - (Reference 2021) - Percussion

Out and Gone Music - Curve - (Out and Gone 2020) - Percussion, Composer

Cyanotype - Birdsongs of the Necromancer - (Out and Gone 2020) - Percussion

D.J. Sparr - Electric Bands - (Innova 2019) - Percussion

Knowles, Strittmatter-Galvin, Galvin, Gilmore - Bag of Tricks, Vol 2 - (Out and Gone 2018) - Percussion

Polyorchard - Red October - (Out and Gone 2017) - Percussion

David Kirkland Garner - Dark Holler - (New Focus 2017) - Percussion

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra - Shostakovich Symphony No. 5, Manfred Honeck - (Reference 2017) - Percussion

Cherry, Estoppey, Mensestres, Galvin, Gilmore - Bag of Tricks, Vol 1 - (Out and Gone 2017) - Percussion

Skylar Gudasz - Oleander - (Daniel 13 2016) - Percussion

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra - Strauss Elektra and Der Rosenkavalier Suites, Manfred Honeck - (Reference 2016) - Percussion

Brett William Dietz - Headcase: Opera Introspective - (Centaur 2016) - Percussion, Producer

D.J. Sparr - 21207 - (Centaur 2015) - Percussion

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra - Mahler Symphony No. 3, Manfred Honeck - (Exton 2011) - Percussion

Tempus Fugit Percussion Ensemble - Push Button, Turn Crank - (Self released 2001) - Percussion

Tempus Fugit Percussion Ensemble - TFPE - (Self released 1999) - Percussion