Shannon L. Small teaches remotely at Jessup University, and she teaches all levels of flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, and bassoon. She also teaches beginning and intermediate levels of piano, violin, and cello.

Flutist, woodwind specialist, and educator Shannon L. Small was born and raised in the Midwest.  She has lived throughout the United States, and currently resides in Houston/West Pearland, Texas. 

Shannon L. Small has been featured as a soloist and in the flute and woodwind sections with various orchestras, chamber ensembles, opera orchestras, and musical theatre within the United States, Italy, and Mexico.  She is the founder, CEO Emeritus, and Principal Flute for the Texas Chamber Symphony & The Da Capo Chamber Ensembles, substitute with the Monterrey Symphony, Symphony of Southeast Texas, and Opera in the Heights. She has held various orchestral positions on flute/piccolo and oboe/English horn. Ms. Small has performed with the Rome Festival Orchestra under the direction of Maestro Fritz Maraffi, as flute soloist in Debussy’s “Prelude a l’apres-midi d’une Faun”; Doppler’s Hungarian Fantasie with the Pasadena Philharmonic, Carnival of Venice with the Brazosport College and Community Band, and Griffes’ “Poem” with the Winona Symphony Orchestra. She is also an active free-lance musician and clinician throughout the United States.

Shannon is currently a remote faculty member at Jessup University and maintains an active private studio (Leigh Studios) of woodwind & piano students. She has taught academic music courses, applied lessons, and directed woodwind ensembles at Rochester College, Brazosport College, and Lee College. Ms. Small has held the board positions of President, Instrumental Performance, & Newsletter director with the South Central Chapter of the College Music Society (CMS), & on the CMS National Membership Committee. She is an Advisory Board Member with the Houston Flute Club (HFC), and has held the following positions with the HFC:  Membership Director, Financial Officer, President, Vice-President, and Newsletter Editor. She is known for her studies and for her work in publishing a Lecture and recital on Andre Jolivet's flute works. Shannon is active with prominent woodwind associations and has contributed to communities through outreach and enrichment programs.

Ms. Small received her Master of Music degree in Flute Performance with a woodwind emphasis from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, where her primary studio professor was Elaine Eagle. She also studied at the University of Missouri-Kansas City with Dr. Mary Possess. Shannon received her B.A. degree in Flute Performance with a woodwind emphasis and B.S. degree in Music-Business from Winona State University.  Shannon has also studied with John Thorne, Sydney Carlson, Alison Young, Julia Bogorad, Wendy Williams, Cathleen Sovinec, and Lisa Nichols, and has participated in masterclasses with Jeffrey Khaner, Julius Baker, Tadeu Coelho, Ervin Monroe, Jeffery Zook, Maestro Carlo Macalli, Nestor Torres, Bettina Clemen, Kimberly Clark, and Gina Smith. She has studied with other prominent woodwind instructors on oboe, saxophone, clarinet, and bassoon (names available upon request).          

Shannon has received grants for her work from the City of Pearland, the Minnesota State Arts Board, American Federation of Musicians, Rome Festival Orchestra, and the Winona Music Guild, and was the 1997 recipient of the Vivian Menees Nelson Music Award. She has also received Foundation Scholarships from Missouri State University.