Renee Shatley

About

Renee Shatley is an accomplished vocal educator, choral director, and music conductor with extensive experience in music education and performance. A native of Burke County, North Carolina, she is the associate conductor for the Hickory Choral Society and serves as the Chancel Choir director at First United Methodist Church in Hickory. She holds a Bachelor of Music Education from Mars Hill University and a Master of Science in Music Education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, earning her degree magna cum laude. After an exceptional career spanning 28 years as a high school choral music teacher with Burke County Public Schools, where she was recognized as an outstanding educator and musician, Shatley was recently inducted into the North Carolina Music Educators Association High School Choral Section Hall of Fame, joining a prestigious group of honorees. Previously, she served as adjunct faculty teaching applied voice and Choral Methods at Lenoir-Rhyne University from 2017-2023, working directly with university voice students on technique and performance. Her professional background demonstrates a deep commitment to vocal excellence, choral music, and music education, with particular expertise in classical vocal technique, choral conducting, and developing young musicians. Shatley continues to provide private voice instruction while maintaining her positions as a conductor and music educator in the Catawba Valley region.

Education & Qualifications

Master of Science in Music Education, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (Magna Cum Laude); Bachelor of Music Education, Mars Hill University

Teaching Styles