Shirley is a music, arts & education graduate from Colleges and Universities in Chicago and Toronto. She also completed business & arts administration courses at the Banff School of Fine Arts and at York University. Her successful career includes performing, teaching, directing and producing at all levels from Elementary through University. She has produced for television and has worked with a broad range of both professional and amateur performing arts companies. Prior to leaving Winnipeg, where she held the position of Cultural Development Officer for the Province of Manitoba, Shirley founded a popular performing arts youth organization known as the “Treble-Teens”, as well as a number of Community Arts Councils and Music & Arts Festivals at the Provincial, Regional and local levels. Relocating to Calgary in 1984, Shirley held the position of Performing Arts Consultant at Mount Royal College. She founded Youth Singers of Calgary in 1985, a highly successful performing arts youth organization. Starting with a small group of 26 students, she never dreamed it would grow to its present size.

Shirley has been awarded “Woman of Distinction” by the YWCA (1997) for her contribution to the Performing Arts in Calgary & Alberta, named a “Paul Harris Fellow” by Rotary International (2004), received an Alberta Centennial Outstanding Citizen Award (2005), a Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012), and was installed as a member of the Alberta Order of Excellence (2016) for her work in promoting youth and the arts in Alberta and for her outstanding contribution to the Calgary, Alberta and Canada. Shirley was also named “Woman of Inspiration” (2019) as an ‘Innovative Leader’ by the Universal Women’s Network.

Shirley was presented with Choir Alberta’s Richard S. Eaton Award (2022) in recognition of Exemplary Service to Choral Music in Alberta. She received the Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Medal (2022) for Demonstrating Exceptional Qualities and Outstanding Service for the Community and Alberta.

Her philosophy is shaped by her lifetime involvement and passion for the performing arts. Her goal is to mentor young people in building their self-esteem and encouraging their talents and imaginations while challenging everyone to pursue their hopes and dreams and become well rounded, productive citizens for our community and beyond.

She has extensive knowledge and experience in all aspects of both traditional and commercial performing arts and is an experienced speaker, judge, mentor, and clinician, particularly around arts administration and building successful arts and youth organizations.

shirl@youthsingers.org