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Detroit Musicians
Cecelia Sha, Cello
Cecelia Sha is a versatile performing artist, collaborator, and educator currently based in Detroit. She began studying cello at the age of six and went on to earn her Bachelor of Music and two Master of Music degrees from the University of Michigan, where she studied with Anthony Elliott and Richard Aaron. Cecelia has further refined her artistry at summer festivals including the Blackburn Music Academy where she served as principal cellist, the Bowdoin International Music Festival, and the Orford Music Academy. She has appeared with ensembles across Michigan, including the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra, Jackson Symphony Orchestra, and Oakland Symphony.
Cecelia’s collaborative spirit has led her to work across a variety of communities and artistic disciplines. She has performed with Grammy Award–winning artist T-Pain as a member of the Urban Art Orchestra, contributing her voice to large-scale, cross-genre productions. As a recording artist, she appears with saxophonist Dave McMurray on Core375, an immersive audio installation along Detroit’s Dequindre Cut, and on Spaces, the Gifts of Art album recorded at Michigan Medicine. Equally committed to making music accessible and equitable, Cecelia has participated in initiatives such as the Prison Creative Arts Project, performing string quartets for audiences in correctional facilities across Michigan.
As an educator, Cecelia strives to cultivate meaningful musical experiences for students of all ages. She has led elementary and middle school string programs through the Michigan Artist Citizen Program and has served as a volunteer with the El Sistema–modeled Paterson Music Project in New Jersey. A certified Suzuki teacher, she maintains a vibrant private studio and continues to mentor young musicians with the same passion and curiosity that drive her own artistic work.
Cecelia’s collaborative spirit has led her to work across a variety of communities and artistic disciplines. She has performed with Grammy Award–winning artist T-Pain as a member of the Urban Art Orchestra, contributing her voice to large-scale, cross-genre productions. As a recording artist, she appears with saxophonist Dave McMurray on Core375, an immersive audio installation along Detroit’s Dequindre Cut, and on Spaces, the Gifts of Art album recorded at Michigan Medicine. Equally committed to making music accessible and equitable, Cecelia has participated in initiatives such as the Prison Creative Arts Project, performing string quartets for audiences in correctional facilities across Michigan.
As an educator, Cecelia strives to cultivate meaningful musical experiences for students of all ages. She has led elementary and middle school string programs through the Michigan Artist Citizen Program and has served as a volunteer with the El Sistema–modeled Paterson Music Project in New Jersey. A certified Suzuki teacher, she maintains a vibrant private studio and continues to mentor young musicians with the same passion and curiosity that drive her own artistic work.
Sarah Wagner, Violin
Sarah Wagner is a violinist and educator with a varied career including a performance in Buckingham Palace, over 60 theatrical productions across five different countries, and a strings
ensemble with Eminem. Sarah uses cross arts collaborations to make classical music accessible, engaging, and immersive. Her pandemic performance piece “Under the Bridge”
combined Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons with street art beneath Glasgow’s Kingston Bridge overpass to show how artistic collaboration could reinvigorate urban spaces. The project culminated in a sold-out performance at Glasgow Cathedral during the UN Cop 26 Climate
Conference.
A passionate educator, Sarah works regularly with students of all ages in solo, small group, and large ensemble settings. She utilizes a holistic and multi-disciplinary approach to music education by combining technical pedagogy with a diverse repertoire of music. Sarah currently teaches violin and viola through her private studio in Ann Arbor and is a frequent guest clinician in the Saline, Chelsea, and Ann Arbor school districts.
Sarah completed her Bachelor’s of Music at Lawrence University and her Master’s of Music and
Advanced Postgraduate diploma at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. After being awarded a
Global Talent Visa by Arts Council England, Sarah continued working in Scotland for several years. While in Glasgow, Sarah taught at the Conservatoire’s Juniors program and spent two
years as an Ambassador with the Benedetti Foundation. Since returning to Michigan, Sarah has performed with the Lansing, Flint, Jackson, and Adrian Symphony Orchestras, as well as The
Encore Musical Theatre Company and the University of Michigan’s musical theatre department.
ensemble with Eminem. Sarah uses cross arts collaborations to make classical music accessible, engaging, and immersive. Her pandemic performance piece “Under the Bridge”
combined Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons with street art beneath Glasgow’s Kingston Bridge overpass to show how artistic collaboration could reinvigorate urban spaces. The project culminated in a sold-out performance at Glasgow Cathedral during the UN Cop 26 Climate
Conference.
A passionate educator, Sarah works regularly with students of all ages in solo, small group, and large ensemble settings. She utilizes a holistic and multi-disciplinary approach to music education by combining technical pedagogy with a diverse repertoire of music. Sarah currently teaches violin and viola through her private studio in Ann Arbor and is a frequent guest clinician in the Saline, Chelsea, and Ann Arbor school districts.
Sarah completed her Bachelor’s of Music at Lawrence University and her Master’s of Music and
Advanced Postgraduate diploma at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. After being awarded a
Global Talent Visa by Arts Council England, Sarah continued working in Scotland for several years. While in Glasgow, Sarah taught at the Conservatoire’s Juniors program and spent two
years as an Ambassador with the Benedetti Foundation. Since returning to Michigan, Sarah has performed with the Lansing, Flint, Jackson, and Adrian Symphony Orchestras, as well as The
Encore Musical Theatre Company and the University of Michigan’s musical theatre department.
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