Hooray for Hollywood

Biography

In 2011, three musicians from the far corners of the world moved to New York City with the common goal of pursuing their dreams of becoming world class performing musicians. When these three musicians met in New York City in 2012 a musical explosion occurred resulting in the creation of Empire Trio (formerly known as O Sole Trio), an exhilarating and uniquely talented classical crossover ensemble, that has been taking concert halls by storm all over the world. Empire Trio quickly established themselves as a musical force, selling out major venues such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (who also commissioned their first show), The Redlands Bowl, CA (to a crowd of 6,000+), Ronnie Scott’s, London, and over 300 other venues all over the United States, Canada, and the UK. Empire Trio features the lush and mesmerizing voices of soprano Erin Shields, and baritone Adam Cannedy, as well as the versatile and virtuosic David Shenton on piano and violin, the world’s first (and possibly only) musician to play violin and piano simultaneously. From deliciously witty to incredibly moving, Empire Trio’s shows have it all; they breathe new life into familiar toe-tapping favorites with their unique and innovative arrangements. The trio has garnered rave reviews from audiences and critics alike. Empire Trio continues to tour extensively throughout the United States. They are extremely proud to provide educational outreach concerts and masterclasses to children of all ages and economic backgrounds.

ERIN SHIELDS - Sproano

Soprano A graduate of the Indiana University School of Music, Erin also studied voice in Vienna, Austria. She started her professional career at age 17 when she sang the National Anthem for Michael Jordan & The Chicago Bulls. Since then, her vocal versatility has allowed her to perform a number of different genres all over the country. She has performed leading roles for many reputable music festivals, opera companies and orchestras. Most notable roles: Eliza in My Fair Lady, Baker’s Wife in Into the Woods, Chava in Fiddler on the Roof (Natchez Festival of Music), Okugata in A Story of Three Women (Harmonia Opera, James Demster, cond.), Musetta in Puccini’s La Bohème, Gianetta in Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore (Opera Intimo, CT), Ramiro in Mozart’s La finta giardiniera (The Little Opera Theater of NY), covered the role of The Mother in Menotti’s Amahl & the Night Visitors at Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center (The Little Orchestra Society, Dino Anagnost, cond.) and performed the role of Marina Vlady in the world premiere of Let Us Fly, the life and music of Vladimir Vysotsky, working with TONY Award Winner Larry Hochman (Book of Mormon on Broadway) and director Moni Yakim (Jacques Brel is Alive & Well - Off-Broadway) at the 92nd St Y in New York City. In 2011, Erin placed as one of the top five grand finalists in the American Traditions Competition in Savannah, Georgia. She has performed for many charitable organizations, including the Global AIDS Alliance at Joe’s Pub, NYC along with the Brick Church School’s African Dream Academy benefit hosted by news icon Katie Couric. She has sung numerous times with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra including Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, Verdi’s Requiem and Mendelssohn’s Midsummer Night’s Dream starring Marcia Gay Harden and Campbell Scott and worked with such renowned conductors as Neeme Järvi, Sir John Elliott Gardner, Sir Neville Marriner and Leon Botstein. Erin’s CD, I’d Rather Be Lonely, features songs from the Great American Songbook and some of the best jazz musicians NYC has to offer.

ADAM CANNEDY – Baritone

Hailed for his “sonorous and secure voice” (Opera Today), baritone Adam Cannedy is

quickly making his way on opera stages across the country. A champion of contemporary opera,

Mr. Cannedy has collaborated with and performed for living composers including Carlisle Floyd,

Ned Rorem, Oliver Knussen, William Bolcom, Stephen Paulus, Simon Sargon, Richard Wargo,

Peter Ash, Tom Cipullo, and Philip Glass. Highlights of his work in contemporary opera include

Oliver Knussen’s Where the Wild Things Are (role of Rooster Wild Thing) as a guest artist with

the Tanglewood Music Center’s Contemporary Music Festival and his subsequent Lincoln Center

debut with New York City Opera; the staged premiere of William Bolcom’s Lucrezia (Chucho);

Stephen Paulus’s The Postman Always Rings Twice (Frank Chambers); the world premiere of

Simon Sargon’s The Singing Violin (Baron Frederick); the world premiere of Peter Ash’sThe

Golden Ticket (Oompa Loompa) with Opera Theatre of St. Louis; and the European premieres of

both The Golden Ticket and Richard Wargo’s Winners(Ballad Singer) during the 2010 season of

Ireland’s Wexford Festival Opera, the occasion of Mr. Cannedy’s European debut.

 Throughout 2016, Mr. Cannedy continued to explore American opera of all vintages,

beginning with his role debut as LeBlanc in the revival of Goodwin and Rice’s 1874 American

opera buffa Evangeline with the Longfellow Chorus in Portland, Maine. He joined Light Opera

of New York to perform the role of Otis Hooper in Jerome Kern’s Sally, a production recorded by

Albany Records. (Albany Records has also recorded and released Mr. Cannedy’s Light Opera of

New York debut engagement as John Blake in Victor Herbert’s The Only Girl.) In October 2016,

Mr. Cannedy joined the Center for Contemporary Opera for the world premiere of Louis Karchin’s

Jane Eyre, in which he performed the roles of Mason and Mr. Briggs. In 2017, Mr. Cannedy made

his debut with Opera San Jose in Puts’ and Campbell’s Pulitzer-Prize winning opera Silent Night;

two other role debuts in 2017 included that of Older Thompson in Tom Cipullo’s Glory Denied

with Opera Upper West and Count Almaviva in Darius Milhaud’s The Guilty Mother with On Site

Opera in New York. 

DAVID SHENTON – Piano/Violin/Arrangements 

David Shenton is an English-born pianist, violinist, composer, and arranger based in New York City. Born in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, David studied violin and piano at The Royal College of Music in London from where he graduated with the highest honors. As pianist/music director David has worked with renowned members of the music profession in all genres, including Vanessa Williams, Tony Bennett, John Wilson, Norm Lewis, Zach Levi, Sierra Boggess, Denyce Graves, Renée Fleming, Sherrill Milnes, Marilyn Maye, Liz Callaway, Sir André Previn, Michael Feinstein, Amanda McBroom, Katie Couric, Alan Menken, and Stephen Schwartz. He gave his Carnegie Hall début in 2014 when he conducted (from the piano) his own orchestra/big band in front of a sold out house. David’s Jazz @ Lincoln Center début was at The Rose Theater as jazz pianist in 2008, and two years later he gave his classical piano début at Lincoln Center’s Rubenstein Atrium performing Schumann and Chopin as part of the 200th year anniversary celebrations of these two composers. In 2012 David arranged, orchestrated, conducted, and played solo violin and piano for a Lincoln Center-commissioned work to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the sinking of Titanic. As a violinist, David has performed frequently as a soloist with leading orchestras and as a recitalist. As a jazz pianist he continues to perform frequently at jazz clubs and larger venues in the USA.   In 2013 David began a close working relationship with lyricist Martin Charnin (creator and lyricist of, among many others, Annie). David has co-created more than a dozen reviews/shows with Mr. Charnin which have been performed frequently by Broadway stars. A prolific arranger, David has worked for Abbey Road & CTS Studios (London), on Hollywood movies, West End & Broadway shows. He arranged/orchestrated the music for Howard Blake’s The Snowman, which has run in the West End since 1998, and has orchestrated several shows in Germany, as well as the newest musical by the ‘Annie’ team, Robin Hood’ The Untold Story. In August 2013 David created and orchestrated the original arrangements for a new and exciting group, Opus X, whose début album featured special guest, trumpeter Chris Botti. David began writing music at the age of 9 and has written hundreds of pieces including a symphony, 2 piano concertos, 2 violin concertos and 2 string quartets all composed before the age of 11. Recent works include a double jazz violin concerto, several songs, and 5 musicals, all of which have premiered in New York. David’s CDs are widely available and his solo piano CD, Sunnyside Blues, has won high acclaim as well as several awards. David’s ballet, Ascension, was commissioned by The Pendulum Aerial Dance Company in Portland (OR), who performs this work frequently. David wrote his first film score for Franc Reyes’ drama, Beauty, which was screened in Hollywood, Miami and New York. David teaches extensively and, as a coach, accompanist and teaching professor, has been on the faculties of NYU, The New School, The Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute, was visiting professor of violin and piano at St. Thomas Choir School for 4 years, and is entering his sixth year as the Music Director at Grace Church School in Manhattan. He is also a composer in residence in the advanced class of the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theater Workshop.