Caroline Shaw

Violinist, singer, composer[15]

What is Caroline Shaw known for?

Caroline Adelaide Shaw was born on August 1, 1982, in Greenville, North Carolina, U.S. At a young age, she was introduced to the violin by her mother and quickly developed a passion for music. Since her childhood, Shaw was immersed in music, often being influenced by the choir of her local Episcopal church and the organist who frequently played Bach. In front of her Sony boombox radio, she formed her personal place of worship, calling into the classical station to request pieces and even correcting them if they aired the wrong ones. This strong foundation in classical music led her to writing her own compositions at the age of 10, mostly imitating the chamber music of Mozart and Brahms.

Shaw furthered her musical education at Rice University, receiving her Bachelor of Music in violin performance in 2004. She continued her journey in music by earning her master's degree in violin from Yale University in 2007. Thereafter, she entered the PhD program in composition at Princeton University in 2010.

As a composer, violinist, and singer, Shaw has made remarkable contributions to contemporary classical music. She rose to prominence for her a cappella piece "Partita for 8 Voices", which earned her the prestigious Pulitzer Prize for Music in 2013. Incredibly, at just 30 years old, she became the youngest recipient of this award. Her composition was hailed as a "highly polished and inventive a cappella work uniquely embracing speech, whispers, sighs, murmurs, wordless melodies and novel vocal effects." In 2022, she further cemented her talent by receiving the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Classical Composition for her work "Narrow Sea".

Throughout her career, Shaw has performed primarily as a violinist with the American Contemporary Music Ensemble (ACME) and as a vocalist with Roomful of Teeth. She's also collaborated with numerous reputable groups such as the Trinity Wall Street Choir, Alarm Will Sound, Wordless Music Orchestra, Ensemble Signal, AXIOM, Opera Cabal, and the Mark Morris Dance Group Ensemble. Not confined to performing, her compositions have also been performed by these and other distinguished groups.

For more about her life and career, her website can be found at carolineshaw.com. Further exploration of her compositions can also be pursued at the list of her compositions page.

Being an alumni of Junius H Rose High School, Caroline Shaw has become a significant figure in the world of music, and an inspiration for the students who follow in her footsteps. Her remarkable achievements prove that one's passion, when nurtured and pursued, can lead to extraordinary milestones.