Biography

One of the UK’s most versatile and creative cellists, and a rare exponent of jazz cello, Shirley draws on a unique background that incorporates classical music, jazz and world music from North Africa, Middle East, Balkans, and South America as well as original compositions, she presents a fresh, new approach to the cello.

Originally trained in classical cello under Raphael Wallfisch at the Guilldhall School of Music, and Janos Starker in Paris, she subsequently moved to Jerusalem, where she remained for 10 years, studying and performing a wide variety of world music from the Mediterranean and Middle East, as well as being highly involved with the jazz and improvised music scene. Since returning to the UK, she has quickly become known as one of the most creative cellists on the music scene and has worked with many leading jazz and world music groups, including Antonio Forcione, Gilad Atzmon, Neil Cowley, Julian Ferraretto, Robert Mitchell, Kosmos Ensemble, Shekoyokh, Maciek Pysz, Maurizio Minardi, and Alice Zawadski, as well as leading her own projects.

Shirley is also an active educator. She teaches Improvisation at the Royal College of Music Junior Department, is a Visiting Lectuer at City University, and has also given workshops for Jazzlines, Birmingham, and Trinity Laban. She is also leading the London Cello Society’s new Beyond Cello division from 2016.Recent performances have included the Vortex Jazz Club, Wilton’s Music Hall, Brunel Museum, Green Note, Crouch End festival and Harfensommer Festival, Wurzburg in Germany. Upcoming performances include City University Music Society, and Kings Place, London as part of the Beyond Cello Festival.