Shelby J Blezinger-McCay

Biography

Shelby Blezinger-McCay is a percussionist, drummer, music educator, and organizer. Balancing a full freelance schedule in musical theater, contemporary chamber music, and pop/rock/folk scenes, Shelby brings virtuosic musical skills, expertise in a wide range of musical genres, and a keen understanding of collaboration and social dynamics to every performance.

She is currently a percussion substitute for multiple Broadway productions, including, MJ! The Musical, Aladdin, SIX, and previously Spamalot, Some Like It Hot, and the 22-23, 23-24 Radio City Christmas Spectacular, and originated the percussion chair for the world premiere of Other World: A New Musical. Additionally, her contemporary music trio, Troika, performs throughout the year.

She has appeared at Carnegie Hall, Feinstein’s/54 Below, The Green Room 42, the United Palace, Rockwood Music Hall, The Cutting Room, City Winery NYC, and many other venues. Recent performances and collaborations include concerts with Katie Harman, Judy Kaye, Travis Moser, Ashley Arnold, Lavon Fisher Wilson, Larry Owens, Melissa Rich, New Heights Brass Band, Sō Percussion, and the Skiffle (Bunch) Steel Orchestra. International performances include concerts in Trinidad and Tobago, Germany, Poland, and China.

Shelby currently serves her local community as an educator with the Brooklyn New School Band and Trevor Day School, sharing the concepts of creative music making in the vast soundscape of the percussion world and its history. She has worked with hundreds of percussionists and composers as the program coordinator for the Sō Percussion Summer Institute from 2018-2022, organizing and directing multiple performances, commissions, and world premieres for a vast range of young musicians.

Shelby Blezinger-McCay has a master’s degree in Percussion Performance from the University of North Texas and a bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Auburn University. Originally from Texas, raised in a family of noisy percussionists, she lives in New York City with her husband, Seth, and pittie-mix, Pascal.