Shaun Evans began learning music at age 3 with a fantastic Canadian program called Music For Young Children. This early-years program introduced children to rhythm, the piano keyboard and basic notation and set him on the course for a lifelong passion for music. Shaun grew up in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada and was lucky to be in a mid-sized city where access to musical experiences were plentiful. He began piano lessons as a youngster through the Royal Conservatory system and was introduced to Clarinet and Saxophone through a public school program from Grade 4. Throughout High School he was actively involved in the reknown program at Laura Secord Secondary School under the mentoring of highly respected Canadian Educator David Sisler. Throughout this time he was able to explore all styles of music with the Niagara Symphony through their music camps, Junior and Senior Youth Orchestras and eventually performing concerts with the Symphony itself. He regularly worked weekends with local Big Bands from upper-state New York to Toronto.
This broad range of musical backgrounds gave him the capability to secure a spot in the Orchestra with Carnival Cruise Lines at age 17. Completing High School a semester early, Shaun moved to Miami to board one of the company’s cruise liners. Within 6 months he moved up to Musical Director — running the ship’s 10 piece orchestra and managing all of the entertainers on board. Through 5 years with Carnival and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines Shaun had the opportunity to work with and write and arrange for a variety of legendary entertainers including The Platters, The Four Tops, Ru Paul, Roy Ayers, Joe Sample and many more.
With a pivot from his Cruise Ship life and contacts Shaun began a career as an Arranger and Orchestrator while living around the world in warm locales such as Mexico and Thailand. Love brought him to Australian shores, where he lives now with his wife Samantha and their two girls in Woodend, Vic. He owns and operates the online digital sheet music publisher PepperHorn Music, and service organizations PepperHorn Music Education and PepperHorn Consultants. He is actively involved in the local music and entertainment scene and is one of the founding members of the not-for-profit Macedon Ranges Music Collective community music organization.
When opportunity arose to take the reins of the Music Department at Braemar College, Shaun couldn’t resist the opportunity. The students at the College were full of potential and the program was ready for new ideas and reinvestment. Experience there as a mentor, educator, friend and manager of a staff of talented musicians and educators cemented Shaun’s passion for inclusive, accessible music education. After 5 years of passion and learning Shaun has left Braemar to create the Ranges Music Network to create new opportunities for the broader community in Sunbury and the Macedon Ranges to learn and grown through music.
Shaun can be contacted via email at shaun@rangesmusic.net.
