2006 Swan Award Winner: Shirley Nute

Shirley holds a bachelors degree in Choral Conducting and Voice from Occidental College in Los Angeles, CA as well as a Master of Arts degree from Columbia University in New York City. During her time in New York City Shirley sang with the Robert Shaw Collegiate Chorale. Shirley is a retired high school choral music teacher who taught 43 years in the Glendale Unified School District – 5 years at Glendale high school and 38 years at Crescenta Valley high school where she established the choral program when the school was opened in 1960.

​Shirley has served as President of the Southern California Vocal Association and the Southern Section of the California chapter of the American Choral Directors Association. She has spent many years coordinating the All State Honor Choirs for the California American Choral Directors Association. Shirley currently conducts the Crescenta Valley Alumni Chorale, established in 1977, and is assistant director of the Cathedral choir and Music Committee Chairperson at the Glendale First United Methodist Church. Shirley has been a volunteer at the LA Music Center arts education division and volunteers for Learning Ally where audiobooks are created that empower dyslexic and visually impaired students from K-Graduate studies achieve academic success. 

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