CALENDAR

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On May 16, 17, 2015 Don performed at at Greenville's Peace Center with the SC Governor's School Dance ensemble. He performed two works with the dancers, and for an interlude played Alexander Scriabin's well-known Etude in C# minor.

During the week of March 20, 2016, Don served as artist-in-residence at Beaufort Middle School. See the artist-in-residence menu item for more details.

In June of 2015,Don improvised silent movie music at the Greenville Chautauqua Festival's 2015 Summer Festival.

In February of 2015, Don performed at the Greenville Chautauqua 2015 presentation of Buster Keaton's silent film, The Cameraman. Don provided an improvised musical underscoring for the entire one hour and fifteen minute film. The Greenville Chautauqua group sponsors educational interactive historical theater performances. Last year in June 2014, he presented a workshop on Leonard Bernstein called "The Joy of Music", a presentation which included three performances.

Don performs two or three times a year at the Peace Center, as part of the SC Governor's School Dance Showcase.

Two years ago, Don performed at the Greenville Chautauqua 2013 summer festival. The Greenville Chautauqua group sponsors educational interactive historical theater performances.

On April 9, 2014, Don performed a portion of his original work, The Forest Speaks, at the SC Governor's School for the Arts. Performing with Don were string students at the Governor's School.

During the last week of Feburary 2014, Don served as artist-in-residence at Pelham Road Elementary School, in Greenville, SC.

On December 30, 2011, at 7 PM Don accompanied violinist Gregory Tompkins as part of the Trinity Presbyterian Concert Series.

RECENT APPEARANCES

On November 4th, 2011, Don traveled with Selkie Celtic band to Augusta, Georgia, where the group appeared on the Covenant Presbyterian Concert Series. In addition to the Celtic music on the program, Don performed a Liszt Hungarian Rhapsody.

On January 2, 2011, Don accompanied Gregory Tompkins, recent Eastman School of Music graduate, in a concert at St. James Episcopal Church on Piney Mountain Road in Greenville, SC. Mr. Tompkins played unaccmpanied violin repertoire,and Mr. Shabkie joined him in a performance of the Cesar Franck Violin Sonata.

On March 27, 2011, Don peformed a solo concert at Trinity Presbyterian Church. The event was a fund raiser for Triune Mercy Center.

During the week of March 22, 2010, Don served as artist-in-residence at Pelham Road Elementary, where he served as artist-in-residence two years ago.

On February 21, 2010, Don performed to a packed house in a Chopin 200th birthday celebration, in an event sponsored by Carolina First.

PREVIOUS PERFORMANCES

On January 7, 2010, Don performed at Trinity Presbyterian Church with violinist Christina DeCiantis Davison.

  • One June 1, 2 of 2008, Don completed work on a specialized artist-in residency plan in Charleston, SC at the Francis Marion Hotel. This was the culminating event of a process funded by a grant from the Kennedy Center, and sponsored by the SC Alliance for Arts Education. See the Artist in Residence page for more information on the instructional plan that Don created. On September 26, he then returned to the same hotel in Charleston to present his artist-in-residency plan Listening to Math, Math: Math Music and Pythagoras to a group of educators from around the state, who were part of the ABC Arts Infusion Continuum.

  • The week of May 7,8, and 9, Don, along with other members of Selkie Celtic Band, served as Artist in Residence at Blythe Elementary school. Don and David Boles presented a performance to the children on Friday May 9.
  • In October 2003, Don performed Tchaikowsky's Piano Concerto #1 with the Carolina Youth Symphony.

    February 27, 2008, 11:00 AM Don peformed in Spartanburg at the South Carolina School for the Deaf and Blind.

    January 5, 2008 Don performed as soloist and accompanist in a concert at Trinity Presbyterian Church. Other performers were Christina DeCiantis and Lisa Barksdale, performing works by Chopin, Chaminade, and Caesar Franck.

    November 28, 29, 30 2007, Don served as artist in residence at Hand Middle School in Columbia, with math teacher Patricia Kassel. This program was made possible by a grant from the Kennedy Center, and through the SC Alliance for Arts Education.

    November 4, 2007 Don served as accompanist for a concert at Trinity Presbyterian Church. Included on the concert was Don's original work, "Cries: Armenians Remembered, 1915" for clarinet, soprano, and piano.

    November 2, 2007, 7:00 PM Don accompanied the featured soloist, Valisa Smith, at the annual Greenville, SC NAACP meeting. Their performance was before the keynote speaker, presidential candidate Barack Obama.

    May 1-6, 8-12 Don performed the Celtic harp for the Furman University Drama Department's production of Translations. This production of the play, set in Ireland during the early 1800's, used incidental Celtic music.

    April 23, Furman University— Don accompanied senior harp major Molly Hubbs at the Daniel Recital Hall. Also included on the program was the Furman percussion ensemble.

    On March 23, 2007 Selkie performed to an enthusiastic crowd at The Bohemian Cafe. The Bohemian Cafe is located at the corner of North Main Street and Stone Avenue, in Greenville, SC. Look for a future Selkie performance at The Bohemian.

    October 1-4 Don was the artist-in-residence at Buena Vista Elementary School in Greenville. For more details see the Artist in Residence page.

    April 3,4, 2007—Don Served as an artist in residence for the spring arts fair at Camden Elementary School of the Creative Arts. He discussed and performed music with numerous classes throughout the two days.

    February 5 through 9, 2007 — Don served as the artist in residence at Marrington Middle School. He used music to teach science, math, and social studies, and completed the residency with a lecture-recital on Scott Joplin.

    Summer 2006 Don organized a series of performances at McPherson Park in Greenville, SC during July and August 2006. The free performances featured a range of music and musicians that appealed to all. Mr. Shabkie performed in two of the events — one with the band Selkie — and one when he played solo piano selections and selections accompanied by other musicians.

    On March 14, 2006, Mr. Shabkie participated in a concert held in the Gunter Theater at the Greenville Peace Center. The purpose of the event was to raise funds to assist with the medical expenses of piano tuner Sam Smith — one of the most prominent names in piano tuning in upstate SC. Don was one of five select musicians asked to perform, and the appreciative audience enthusiastically received his original works.

    On March 12, 2006, At another concert in upstate SC, Don was the accompanist for the concert An Evening of Theatrical Music that featured singers Lisa Barksdale, James Broussard, Tina Thompson-Broussard, and Lucie Svatonova.

    On February 12, 2006, Mr. Shabkie presented the concert Donald Shabkie and Friends in the Trinity Presbyterian Church concert series. His concerts, oriented to reincarnating the 19th century concert style, have been enthusiastically received as he plays a mixture of original compositions and classics, including his Celtic piano selections which are always popular. This concert was very well-received by the appreciative audience.

    Don has served numerous times as an accompanist. On February 3, 2006, Donald accompanied the senior oboe recital by Furman University music major Kenneth Evans in the Daniel Recital Hall at Furman.

    On January 27, 2006, Don served as accompanist for the senior oboe recital of Furman University music major Rebecca Carter in the Daniel Recital Hall at Furman.

    On October 21, 2005, Don accompanied voice major Lydia Balmos in her senior recital at Furman University.

    Mr. Shabkie composed a work for the Dance Department at the Fine Arts Center located in Greenville, SC. Working with dance director Jan Woodward, the work was presented at the Art Bomb in Greenville on October 20, 2005. Mr. Shabkie performed the work with flautist Laurie Gentry, and the Fine Arts Center advanced dance class.

    Mr. Shabkie ' s work, The Gallery Within was commissioned by the Emrys Foundation of Greenville, SC, and choreographed by members of the Fine Arts Center Dance Department under the tutelage of director Jan Woodward. A part of the Emrys Foundation Art in Public Places project, the performance played at the Village Voice on October 17, 2005 to a large crowd that gave the work an enthusiastic reception.

    April-2005 Selkie performed at Greenville's popular Artisphere. An enthusiastic audience response and many positive written responses were the result.

    February — March 2005, Don performed at the Sumter Opera House and at the Bishopville Opera House with coloratura soprano Anima, under the auspices of Anima Productions. In these concerts, Mr. Shabkie served as accompanist for works from the opera and art song genres, and also performed works of Scriabin and Scarlatti.

    Mr. Shabkie performed as an accompanist in performances on the campus of Converse College in the fall of 2004.

    In October 2004, Mr. Shabkie was commissioned by the Emrys Foundation of Greenville SC to collaborate with Martha Brim, of the Power Company and Columbia College, on a new work.

    During the period 1998-2004, Don performed several concerts at the Wright-Spears Concert Hall on the campus of Columbia College. Two of his concerts were part of the Columbia College Concert Series. One concert, in October of 2002, featured Selkie.

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