Earl Yowell is currently Professor of Percussion at Shenandoah Conservatory of Shenandoah University. He was appointed Director of Percussion Studies in 2007 and is the director of the (SU)PERcussion Ensemble, and co-founder in 2008 of EarCandy, a new music series. He is presently a member of the new music group EDGE Ensemble. He was formerly on the percussion faculty at the University of Minnesota.

In 2016 he was elected to the University Pedagogy Committee of the Percussive Arts Society. He also served on the Symphonic Committee of the Percussive Arts Society from 2008 to 2015. He was invited in 2011 to be a guest artist/clinician at the 9th International Patagonia Percussion Festival in Argentina. He was a featured timpani clinician in 2011 at the 50th Anniversary Convention of the International Percussive Arts Society held in Indianapolis, Indiana. In 2010 he was the guest artist/lecturer for the Atlanta International Timpani Seminar.

Prior to his appointment at Shenandoah, he performed for twenty seasons as the principal timpanist and percussionist of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra (SPCO), Saint Paul, Minnesota. He toured extensively with the SPCO throughout the United States, Europe and Asia. He was a featured soloist with internationally acclaimed solo percussionist Evelyn Glennie in the SPCO performances of Andrzej Panufnik’s Concertino for Timpani, Percussion and Strings and was timpani soloist in the Chamber Orchestra’s premier performances of Johann Carl Christian Fischer’s Symphony for Eight Obbligato Timpani. In addition to performing on over twenty-five CD recordings with the SPCO, Yowell has also played on two Grammy Award-winning albums.

Yowell regularly gives clinics and masterclasses at colleges and universities throughout the United States. He holds degrees from Northwestern University and the Cleveland Institute of Music. His principal teachers include Cleveland Orchestra members Cloyd Duff, and Richard Weiner, as well as Northwestern University faculty Terry Applebaum and Glenn Steele.

Yowell is an artist for Sabian Cymbals and Evans Drumheads.

Shenandoah Conservatory is committed to fostering a safe environment for our students and faculty during the COVID-19 pandemic. We are equally committed to providing exceptional opportunities for our students aligned with preparation for 21st century careers in the arts. This commitment begins with your audition! As the arts industry has responded to our current reality by modifying rehearsal and audition practices, Shenandoah Conservatory has also adopted the most recent industry standards, while maintaining a commitment to innovation and collaboration. Visit the Ensemble & Production Auditions webpage for the most up-to-date information about auditioning for our music, theatre and dance ensembles and productions.

Ensemble & Production Auditions

SHENANDOAH CONSERVATORY INVITES provides instrumental high school students multiple opportunities each year to make music with Shenandoah faculty, students and ensembles. Musicians playing string, brass, woodwind and percussion instruments will find events enabling intensive study with Shenandoah’s world-class faculty and the opportunity to make music alongside current conservatory students. Each of these events take place on Shenandoah’s beautiful Winchester campus.

Explore Upcoming Opportunities