Innovative performer Shannon Hayden has carved a distinctive niche in the music world, touring globally for over a decade with her unique setup: a 19th-century cello coupled with pickups and electronic modifications. Trained by legends like Janos Starker (Indiana University) and Aldo Parisot (Yale University), Hayden’s musicality has been equally shaped by a lifelong passion for experimental, electronically manipulated soundscapes.

A “one-woman orchestra” (New York Music Daily) who defies musical convention, Hayden has spent the last decade quietly revolutionizing what’s possible with her instrument while reshaping the intersection of tradition and technology. In addition to traditional and contemporary cello performance, she brings extensive experience as a guitarist and multi-instrumentalist, having performed with a wide range of touring ensembles across world music and indie rock. She is currently pursuing an advanced degree in music composition at California State University, Fullerton, where her work deepens the analytical, creative, and technical foundation she brings to her teaching.