Shelby Blezinger-McCay is a percussionist, drummer, music educator, and organizer. Balancing a full freelance schedule in musical theater, contemporary chamber music, and pop/rock/folk scenes, Shelby brings virtuosic musical skills, expertise in a wide range of musical genres, and a keen understanding of collaboration and social dynamics to every performance.

She is currently a percussion chair for Titaníque the musical and previously subbed on Broadway productions, including MJ: The Musical, SIX, Aladdin, Two Strangers (carry a cake across New York), Monty Python’s: Spamalot, Some Like It Hot, and the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, and originated the percussion chair for the world premiere of  Other World: A New Musical. Additionally, her contemporary music trio, Troika, performs throughout the year.

She has appeared at venues worldwide across multiple continents and locally appeared at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, SummerStage, the United Palace, King’s Theater, The Beacon, Feinstein’s/54 Below, The Green Room 42, The Cutting Room, City Winery NYC, and many others. Recent performances and collaborations include concerts with Sigur Rós, Yandel, Excelsis Percussion, Katie Harman, Judy Kaye, Travis Moser, Ashley Arnold, Lavon Fisher Wilson, Larry Owens, Melissa Rich, Sō Percussion, and the Skiffle (Bunch) Steel Orchestra.

Shelby currently serves her local community as an educator with the Trevor Day School, sharing the concepts of creative music making in the vast soundscape of the percussion world and its history. She has worked with hundreds of percussionists and composers as the program coordinator and director for the Sō Percussion Summer Institute from 2018-2022, organizing and directing multiple performances, commissions, and world premieres for a vast range of young musicians.

Shelby Blezinger-McCay has a master’s degree in Percussion Performance from the University of North Texas and a bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Auburn University. Originally from Texas, raised in a family of noisy percussionists, she lives in New York City with her husband, Seth, and pittie-mix, Pascal.