Shawn Chabot

Lecturer
Director - Symphonic Band
Music Performance Studies Department

Biography

Shawn Chabot is proud to continue at his alma mater as the music director of the Western University Symphonic Band. A native of Elliot Lake, Ontario, he developed his passion for conducting at a young age through his involvement with the Royal Canadian Sea Cadet movement where he helped direct and develop concert and marching band programs at the local and national levels.

For twenty years, Shawn has taught instrumental and vocal music and conducted various concert bands, orchestras, choirs, and jazz ensembles at Oakridge Secondary, Nicholas Wilson Public, Sir Wilfrid Laurier Secondary, and Saunders Secondary schools where he was the Music Department Head. He currently serves as a Vice Principal at College Avenue Secondary School in Woodstock, Ontario.

In addition to his teaching and conducting responsibilities, Shawn is a committee member and a clinician with the Western/OBA Intermediate Honour Band. He also co-chaired the annual Variety Is... Showcase Concert, was the Chair of the TVDSB Secondary Music Subject Council, led professional development sessions at various local and provincial music conferences, and helped to revise the Ontario Arts Curriculum.

As a performer, he has played trumpet as a member of Encore: The Concert Band, in brass quintets, and for a variety of other local ensembles. He has also sung with local chamber choirs including The Gerald Fagan Singers, Chor Amica, and The Bach Festival Choir, and guest conducted Encore: The Concert Band.

In 2016, Shawn was selected as a finalist for the Leslie Bell Conducting Award and was awarded an Ontario Graduate Scholarship in 2020. He holds three degrees from Western University including a Bachelor of Music-Honours Music Education (2004), a Bachelor of Education (2005), and a Masters Degree in Literature and Performance (2021) under the mentorship of Dr. Colleen Richardson.