SHELLY SNAPP

Advocating for artists, musicians, and sacred communities since 1977.

Shelley Snapp is a conductor, composer, music director, and educator whose career spans more than two decades across sacred, academic, and theatrical stages. Based in North Carolina, she currently serves as a Minister of Music and Choral Director, where she oversees the full spectrum of musical programming— ranging from traditional choral works to contemporary praise ensembles. Her liturgical leadership integrates sacred tradition with creative expression, building multi-generational participation and community through music.

Equally at home in the theater pit and the pulpit, Shelley has served as music director and conductor for over 60 full-scale theatrical productions, including Into the Woods, My Fair Lady, Anastasia, and The Sound of Music. Her orchestral and vocal direction has guided casts ranging from elementary performers to professional-level ensembles, often with orchestras of 15+ musicians under her baton. As a vocal coach and accompanist, she is known for her meticulous ear, nurturing pedagogy, and commitment to collaborative artistry.

Shelley’s original compositions and arrangements have been commissioned by regional theater companies, ballet companies, and churches throughout the Southeast. Her work includes incidental music for dramatic plays, orchestrations for new musicals, and sacred compositions for choir and handbells. As a sound designer, she has contributed to productions at Raleigh Little Theatre, Sonorous Road Theatre, and Vixen Theatre Company, earning recognition for her ability to shape emotional and sonic landscapes.

A graduate of the Indianapolis International Academy of Music, Shelley trained in advanced music theory, piano pedagogy, and conducting under Dr. M. Dean Kincaid and Dr. Leon Anderson. She continues to blend scholarship with service, artistry with ministry.

Whether conducting a holiday cantata, scoring a ballet, or mentoring the next generation of performers, Shelley approaches every project with rigor, heart, and a deep belief in music’s capacity to connect and transform.