Famous Last Words

Matthew Wardell is a dynamic conductor who brings boundless energy and compelling storytelling to every performance. Based in Washington, DC, he is known for his ability to unlock passion in live performances and create deep emotional connections with audiences. Wardell’s commitment to programming—recognized in 2024 when he won the Vytautas Marijosius Memorial Award in Orchestral Programming from The American Prize—spans from unearthing hidden repertoire gems and championing overlooked composers to presenting bold new works alongside the masterpieces of the canon. His performances are marked by what audiences describe as “unabashed enthusiasm” and “youthful energy,” with patrons regularly noting that “he and the orchestra never cease to amaze.”

Currently in his 17th season as Music Director of the Ocala Symphony Orchestra—which composer Michael Daugherty called the “hardest working orchestra in Florida”—Wardell has established himself as a sought-after guest conductor with recent appearances leading the Jacksonville Symphony, the Florida Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra Pittsburgh, the Southwest Florida Symphony Orchestra, the New England Philharmonic, the Gainesville Orchestra, and the Pioneer Valley Symphony Orchestra. When Matthew was appointed Music Director of the Ocala Symphony Orchestra, the Ocala Star Banner declared that “Wardell brings an impressive resume of musical and conducting training … Maybe more important than his musical credentials is Wardell’s youthful enthusiasm and unabashed zest … Wardell is not only a daring and dynamic choice as the Ocala Symphony Orchestra’s new conductor, but a smart one.”

On the podium, Maestro Wardell has conducted more than 520 works across 310 live performances. His repertoire encompasses core orchestral works from all periods, concerti for voice and nearly every instrument, extensive pops offerings, and film and multimedia works. He is particularly committed to the purposeful inclusion of underrepresented and living composers, having led world and United States premieres from composers such as Michael Daugherty, María de Pablos, Paul Richards, Stella Sung, and Jenni Brandon. Wardell has developed deep experience in live-to-film conducting, having led more than a dozen productions including upcoming performances of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and Disney’s Aladdin in Concert.

From the opera pit, Wardell has led 19 staged productions of large-scale opera, musical theatre, and ballet works including La Boheme, Bartók’s Miraculous Mandarin, Così fan tutte, Sunday in the Park with George, Carmina Burana, A Little Night Music, and Sweeney Todd. His ability to rise to any artistic challenge was dramatically demonstrated when he conducted two performances of Puccini’s Tosca with only one day’s notice. Critics hailed the performances as “first-rate” and “inspiring,” calling his last-minute substitution a “magnificent feat … when the stakes were high, Mr. Wardell came through brilliantly and proved his mettle.”

Born in Jacksonville, Florida, Wardell holds a Doctor of Musical Arts (2022) and Master of Music (2010) from the University of Florida, where he studied with his mentor Dr. Raymond Chobaz, and a Bachelor of Music cum laude (2007) from the University of North Florida, where he worked under Charlotte Mabrey. He spent five summers at the Pierre Monteux School for Conductors and Orchestra Musicians in Hancock, Maine, where he studied with renowned conducting teacher Michael Jinbo and was recognized as both an Osher and Quimby Family Foundation scholar. Wardell has participated in master classes with Keith Lockhart of the Boston Pops and studied with conductor and composer Peter WesenAuer in Salzburg, Austria. 

Equally at home on the operatic, musical theater, or concert stage, Shanelle Woods is repeatedly praised as an artist with vocal expressiveness, a commanding stage presence, and a range flexible enough to support a breadth of characters, including the operatic and musical theater likes of Bizet’s CARMEN, Tituba (THE CRUCIBLE), Ronnie (HAIR), The Judge in the world premiere of STOMPING GROUNDS – a hip-hopera commissioned by The Glimmerglass Festival, Jeanette in the Colour of Music Festival production of L’AMANT ANONYME, and a double feature with Spoleto Festival USA (Kentucky Kate in AFRAM OU LA BELLA SWITA and Annie in PORGY AND BESS.) While she was regrettably not able to fulfill her contract as 2nd Lady in Mozart’s MAGIC FLUTE or as Countess Ceprano in Pucinni’s RIGOLETTO (both with Opera North) due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Shanelle recently made her debut on a digital stage, performing the role of Jenny Diver in City Lyric Opera’s interactive production of Kurt Weill’s THREEPENNY OPERA.

Additionally, Ms. Woods has also performed roles from DIE FLEDERMAUS (Prince Orlofsky), DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE (Third Lady), Benjamin Britten’s NOYE’S FLUDD (Mrs. Noye), COSI FAN TUTTE (Dorabella), THE OLD MAID AND THE THIEF (Miss Pinkerton), Kurt Weill’s DOWN IN THE VALLEY (Jennie Parsons) and Seymour Barab’s children’s opera, LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD (mother/grandmother). Her musical theater credits include THE MUSIC MAN, THE WIZARD OF OZ, and SHOWBOAT (Queenie). Her concert repertoire includes solo features in Vivaldi’s Gloria, Handel’s Messiah, Mozart’s Vesperae Solemnes de Confessore and Mendelssohn’s Elijah. Ms. Woods also has several international choral residencies to her credit, including York Minster, Chichester, and Southwark Cathedrals (England, United Kingdom). In 2019, Ms. Woods joined the roster of the acclaimed American Spiritual Ensemble on their 24th annual national concert tour.

An avid recitalist, Ms. Woods has organized and performed in several recitals as part of the Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston, SC: I, Too, Sing America (2014), a recital performed in tribute to those who have furthered the African-American presence in the realm of classical music – and reprised that same year for the MOJA Arts Festival, and To Be Sung Upon the Water: Love and Other Elements (2015) an ode to American art song literature. The Roaring 20s (2017) and French Fantasies (2018) both featured faculty vocalists and instrumentalists of Charleston Southern University. In 2018, Ms. Woods also began a recurring engagement with The Sound of Charleston concert series and was featured on their summer Piccolo programming as well. Originally curated for Piccolo 2016, Songs of Love and Justice – a recital framed by, and in response to, the nation’s current socio-political climate – was later revisited as part of the Holy Trinity Concert Series in 2017 (Gainesville, FL) Ms. Woods was featured on the Cathedral Church of St. Paul’s 2018 Concert Series, presenting An Evening of African American Art Song (Detroit, MI).

In addition to performing, Ms. Woods has a passion for utilizing her talents to further arts education. She herself received the Bachelor of Arts degree in Voice Performance from Charleston Southern University in 2009 and in 2010, became the inaugural recipient of CSU’s Artist Certificate in vocal performance. She completed requirements for the Master of Music (Voice Performance) at the University of Florida. She is now completing an Advanced Certificate in Vocal Pedagogy at New York University‘s Steinhardt School. In January of 2022, she joined their teaching roster as an Adjunct Instructor of Voice.

Additionally, Ms. Woods is the Education Coordinator for the renowned Young People’s Chorus of New York City, where she works to support choristers musically and academically, while also providing private voice instruction to YPC’s Matisse Fellows. Previously, she served as adjunct voice faculty member at both Charleston Southern University and Claflin University, and maintained a private voice studio at FAME Performing Arts in Mt. Pleasant, SC, for whom she still offers virtual lessons. Ms. Woods also worked as assistant children’s choir director at St. Philip’s Church (Charleston, SC) and as a guest vocal clinician to churches, schools, and theater companies in the greater Charleston area.

Ever aware of the link between the arts and social responsibility, Ms. Woods is often called upon as a guest speaker and presenter. She has been invited to speak to the Black Women in Opera Fest audiences on ways to increase diversity in Opera Education, and has been invited to speak on panels regarding more inclusive teaching practices. In 2020, Ms. Woods also offers consultation to private voice teachers on more inclusive studio strategies, including everything from repertoire to recruitment and retention. In 2019, Ms Woods was a featured performer for TEDxCharleston, in which she presented an excerpt of a contemporary opera, Service Provider (Christopher Weiss and John De Los Santos), which served to explore social currents, specifically how modern technology has affected human interaction. She has also worked as a soloist with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra’s The Orchestra Sings – an educational outreach performance made possible through the Carnegie Hall Link Up program.

 In the meantime, and inspired by more recent events, Shanelle felt spurred to take action within the artistic community in a way that specifically benefits black and brown students. Recognizing the innate gifts that many of these students already possess, she became resolved to remove at least one barrier of entry to musical study, by offering free voice lessons to these students, 10 – 18 years old. Borrowing the Kwanzaa principle of collective work and responsibility, and to take on the problems of the community and make them your own, Shanelle has now been offering these free ‘Ujima Sessions’ since the summer of 2020.