Shawn's musical journey began on the drumset. Years later, while attending Berklee College of Music, his musical life was affected profoundly after seeing performances by Jamey Haddad and Glen Velez. Inspired, he began his studies of percussion from around the globe.
He started studying frame drums and tambourine styles with Jamey Haddad, who also exposed him to the amazing world of South Indian percussion and Carnatic music. After Berklee, he continued his study of frame drums and the South Indian rhythmic system, including studies with Glen Velez and Ghatam V. Suresh. He gradually expanded into many other percussion traditions of the world, developing a unique set of techniques to express himself as an artist.
Shawn performs on a wide variety of instruments, and is a versatile and sensitive collaborator. He has shared the stage with a wide-range of artists, including David Amram, Rosco Gordon, Eric Mingus, Catherine Sikora, Robert Pinske, Don Davis and many more.
Parallel to his development as a percussionist, Shawn took a keen interest in composition, both to better understand his role in ensembles, and also to express himself tonally. With intense study and interest in orchestral, jazz, world music and electronica styles, he is a versatile composer for live ensembles and multimedia alike.
