Sarah Shapiro

Recently named a National Finalist for the 2025 American Prize in both Conducting (Dale Warland Award) and Choral Composition, conductor, composer, and mezzo-soprano Sarah Shapiro trained at the Yale School of Music and Institute of Sacred Music (Paul Richard DeLong Prize), receiving her Master of Music in Choral Conducting under the tutelage of Jeffrey Douma, David Hill, and Felicia Barber. While at Yale, Sarah held the position of Choir Director at the University Church in Yale, founded in 1757 as the first university congregation in America. During this time, she also served as Choir Director for the New Haven chapter of HaZamir: The International Jewish Teen Choir. Originally from New York City and Chicago, she was brought up in an Episcopal church choir through the Royal School of Church Music program for thirteen years. She later attended St. Olaf College, from which she holds a Bachelor of Music in Education. Sarah has participated as a singer and conductor at music programs such as Aspen Music Festival, Eastern Music Festival, Amherst Early Music Festival, the Conductors Retreat at Medomak, Sarteano Chamber Choral Conducting Workshop, Cascade Choral Conducting Masterclass, Conducting Programs International, and the University of North Texas Choral Conducting Symposium. In 2024, she was selected to participate in the American Choral Directors Association Eastern division graduate conducting masterclass with clinician Jason Max Ferdinand. Sarah currently lives in London and serves as Teacher of Music at St. Mary's School in Ascot, United Kingdom.