Biography

Composer - Percussionist - Musicologist

Brian Shank is a composer, percussionist, and musicologist. His music has been performed by the Rome Opera Choir, the New Jersey Symphony, and the Juilliard Pre-College Percussion Ensemble. He has been commissioned by Italy’s National Gallery for 21st Century Art in Rome (MAXXI), Juilliard Pre-College Percussion Ensemble, Tom Gold Dance ballet company, the Caroga Arts Collective, and many others. As a percussion soloist he appeared at Bard’s Fisher Center (NY), the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall (NY), and Divadlo X10 (Prague, CZ); his performing covers styles including contemporary classical music, electronic music, Americana, folk, and jazz.

Brian is a member of the Caroga Arts Collective, one of the premier un-conducted chamber orchestras in the country. He specializes in quickly writing orchestral arrangements for diverse artists to collaborate with the Caroga Arts Collective, and has produced orchestral scores of works for GRAMMY Award-winning folk singer Sierra Ferrell, pop musicians Cody Fry, Eddie Benjamin, Kevin Garrett, and Rich Saunders, jazz vocalist Laurin Thalese, and many others. His academic writing investigates the connections between music and other artistic mediums, philosophy, and human-centered applications of artificial intelligence. From 2015 to 2020, he worked extensively with the Bridge Arts Ensemble to bring music to over 50,000 public school students annually in the Adirondack State Park in New York State.

Brian earned degrees from The Juilliard School (Bachelors in Percussion) and the San Francisco Conservatory (Masters in Composition) and is completing a Ph.D. in the History and Theory of Music at the University of California, Irvine. When not working on paradiddles, he’s often birding, cooking, surfing, mountain biking, and golfing.

LOUIE THE LOON!
An Innovate New Concert for Children

"The most exciting new educational programming for orchestra in years..."

- Kyle Price - Founder, CEO, Artistic Director of Caroga Arts Collective

LOUIE THE LOON! is an exciting and heart-warming work for orchestra and narrator, perfect for educational performances. Unique to children’s programming, the script is modular, meaning that, in a mere ten minutes, the script can be transformed to make the story take place right where you are performing. Supply the name of a body of water or mountain near your venue and your audiences have a charming story taking place right in their own town.

Conveniently, the work exists in five versions: double winds orchestra, single winds orchestra, another for string orchestra, a version for string orchestra, and others for both string quartet and quintet, each running 35 minutes, about the length of Peter and the Wolf and other similar programs.

The story encourages self-growth, self-exploration, and love, and has been enjoyed by audiences across the United States.

VISIT THE LOUIE HOMEPAGE

2026 CONCERTS

2026 Concerts

June 13 South Eastern Young Artists premiers the "Louie the Loon!" string quartet arrangement.

11am. Gainesville, GA

Visit SEYA's Website for more information

July 27-August 23

Caroga Arts Collective - 15th Caroga Lake Music Festival

Artist and composer-in-residence

Caroga Lake, NY

Caroga Art's Website for more information

July 2 (Thurs) - A Syncopated Life - A Live 'Silent Film' Comedy

8pm, Sherman’s Park, Caroga Lake, NY

An original theater and music production curated by director Kyle Price based around the iconic music of American composer legend, Leroy Anderson, featuring Alex Moffat (from SNL), Caroline Rau, Brian Shank along with the Caroga Arts Ensemble and members from Utica Dance.

July 3 (Fri.) - American Mosaic - Celebrating America 250. Full orchestra and soloists.

7pm, Sherman’s Park, Caroga Lake, NY

Full orchestra with David Alan Miller conducting (Albany Symphony). Music by George Gershwin, Aaron Copland, and others.

July 24 (Fri.) - Brian with KASA String Quartet.

7pm, Sherman’s Park, Caroga Lake, NY

Music from "Walt's" films in new arrangements for string quartet, jazz guitar, and drums.

July 26 (Sun.) - Brian with KASA String Quartet.

3pm Mayfield Presbyterian Church.

presented by Sacandaga Valley Arts Network.

Music from "Walt's" films in new arrangements for string quartet, jazz guitar, and drums.

August 6 (Thurs.) - 7pm Caroga Arts Collective

Church of Our Lady of Lourdes, Utica, NY.