In 2016, Shelbie Rassler graduated from Cypress Bay High School where she was a saxophonist and drum major with the CB band. Recipient of a Western Music Society Scholarship, she went on to study music at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee and got her Masters in Music Composition at Julliard in 2022.
Shelby returned to Weston on September 6 as the conductor of the orchestra for the sold-out “Spider-Man Across the Spider-Verse” as part of a 3-month tour with concerts almost every night across the US.
Before heading to the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, she found the time to stop by her old band room at Cypress Bay and meet with Band Director Brett Dawson who told her she would be so welcome to visit again and spend more time with everyone.
The “Spider-Man Across the Spider-Verse” live concert is an amazing experience. The animated movie is a high-paced, action-packed and ultra-colorful animation movie that sparked bursts of enthusiasm and cheers in the audience each time a new Spider-Man was featured and saved the day. The music by Daniel Pemberton was performed live by the orchestra, conducted by Shelbie, with the same energy and with perfect synchronization. The orchestra itself was not a traditional one: a DJ, 2 electric guitars, and 3 drums/percussion sets were added to the brass, strings and winds sections. For an audience of all ages, and so many Spider-Man-Marvel fans, it was a magical demonstration of how the music, performed live, enhanced all the special effects and the action taking place on the screen.
It was past 10.30 pm, when most of the audience had left, that Shelbie appeared and met with all the family and friends who had booked their seats to see her on stage that night and congratulate her for such an amazing accomplishment. The Weston Music Society was present too, so happy and proud to celebrate one of their star scholarship recipients.
Weston Music Society President Lou Marett notes, “We want the Weston community to be aware and proud of all their neighbors who succeed in the performing arts world. Their success is an invaluable contribution to all of us, and the WMS is committed to supporting them locally in every way possible.”
