Shelly Suminski

Shelly Suminski received a BM in Trombone Performance from the University of Southern California as the 2007 recipient of the Robert Marsteller Outstanding Brass Musician Award while studying with Dr. Terry Cravens. In 2009 she earned her Masters Degree at the California Institute of the Arts, studying under James Miller, Associate Principal of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

As an active freelance musician in Southern California, Suminski has performed locally and internationally with a variety of musical ensembles and has performed in major venues across the United States, Middle East and Asia. She has recorded for film, television and other media projects.In 2019 she performed the world premier of Meditation and Decision for solo trombone and piano at the International Trombone Festival in Muncie, IN. Dedicated to elevating the voices of women in brass music, Suminski is a founding member of the Los Angeles-based organization She Can Play Brass.

Devoted to music education, Suminski serves on the Brass Faculty at the Colburn School CSPA and Victor Valley College. She received her Kodály Certification from the Kodály Association of Southern California, and currently teaches Level III Pedagogy for KASC Levels. She has been involved with non-profit organizations in the Los Angeles area since 2005. She previously served on the Board of Directors for the Organization of American Kodály Educators as the Instrumental Advisor and Western Division President and is a Past President of the Kodály Association of Southern California. She served as the Co-Chair for the 2023 International Kodály Society Symposium in Los Angeles.