Teacher Profile: Joseph Shelley

About Joseph Shelley

At the age of six, Joseph began teaching himself to play the piano. Soon afterward, he performed at church services, school functions, outdoor festivals, social clubs, and similar events. He later took formal piano lessons, finally learning to read music. In elementary school, Joseph started on the trumpet, switched to the trombone, and ultimately settled on the French horn—for which he would be offered a four-year university scholarship. At thirteen, he developed an interest in conducting and became his high school’s youngest student conductor for the symphonic band as a freshman. By seventeen, he served as drum major while also acting as music director for the town’s Methodist church.

At 21, Joseph relocated to Central Florida, where he earned commercial pilot certificates for single- and multi-engine airplanes, including instrument ratings. He then completed ground school for flight instruction, obtaining the Federal Aviation Administration’s teaching certificate. While in aviation school, he served as church organist for a local congregation. During this period, Joseph began arranging and composing music, eventually recording an album and launching his teaching career. The aftermath of September 11 disrupted his aviation plans, but he pivoted contentedly to work as a music consultant, advising schools and churches on appropriate repertoire for their programs while continuing to teach piano.

After a local church minister heard his CD of arrangements, Joseph was offered a position as director of orchestra and music assistant, for which he also wrote arrangements and orchestrations. For more than a decade, he then served as full-time music director for a Methodist congregation, leading the adult choir, children’s choir, men’s and women’s ensembles, handbell choir, worship band, and other groups. He directed over twenty musical productions and provided music for community special events. There, he expanded his teaching studio to include vocal lessons and conducting.

For five years, Joseph studied voice under Professor Kimberly Saunders Randall, after which he was hired to sing at various venues, including a televised sporting event where he performed the national anthem.

Joseph’s teaching philosophy has always emphasized that each student is unique: what works for one may not suit another. Some students excel by ear, while others thrive with printed music alone—and he tailors his approach accordingly. He recognizes that negative emotions hinder learning, that a degree of frustration is inevitable when mastering an instrument, and that skillfully managing these feelings is key to long-term success. Above all, he believes any progress—no matter how modest—deserves celebration.