Hailed by The Boston Musical Intelligencer as "outstanding" and "fearless," Dr. Elisabeth Shafer is a dedicated orchestral, chamber, and solo performer. She has performed with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, ProMusica Columbus, Michigan Opera Theatre Orchestra, The Jackson Symphony, Akron Symphony Orchestra, Erie Philharmonic, Detroit Winds and Strings, Youngstown Symphony Orchestra, CityMusic Cleveland Chamber Orchestra, Toledo Symphony Brass, Symphony in C, the Eastern Connecticut Symphony, and the Nittany Valley Symphony, and Barclay Brass. She has appeared as a guest soloist with ensembles including Seraph Brass, The University of Akron Symphony Orchestra, The University of Akron Symphonic and Concert Bands, and the Perry High School Symphonic Winds at the Ohio Music Educators Association Conference in 2019. In 2015, Dr. Shafer won Honorable Mention in the International Trombone Association Alto Trombone Competition. Dr. Shafer has given numerous solo recitals throughout the East Coast, Midwest, and Southern portions of the United States. She has worked with esteemed conductors Bramwell Tovey, Ken-David Masur, Valery Gergiev, and Peter Oundjian.

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As a chamber musician, Dr. Shafer is a member of the Memphis Brass Quintet.  She was the interim core member of Seraph Brass from 2020 - 2021, and she is a founding member of the Boston Trombone Project, a Boston-based trombone chamber ensemble. Her trombone quartet, Hendrie's Heroes, was named First Alternate in the 2014 International Trombone Association Quartet Competition. Dr. Shafer is an avid early music and sackbut player, having collaborated in numerous ensembles including historical performance department recitals at Boston University, the Yale Schola Cantorum Orchestra, Yale Collegium Players, and Temple University Mozart Players.

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Dr. Shafer serves as the trombone professor at The University of Memphis. Prior to her appointment as faculty at the University of Memphis, she was the trombone professor at the University of Akron. She was also a Teaching Assistant at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute Trombone Workshop, and a Teaching Artist in the Music in Schools Initiative in New Haven, CT. In 2019, she presented at the International Trombone Workshop and in 2020, she was a performer and guest clinician at the Cleveland State University Trombone Day, hosted by Shachar Israel of the Cleveland Orchestra. Dr. Shafer has also performed and presented master classes at numerous universities throughout the United States. She has conducted and arranged music for the Boston University Trombone Choir, and the Boston University Tanglewood Institute Trombone Choir. 

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A native of State College, PA, Dr. Shafer earned her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Trombone Performance from Boston University. She also received her Master of Music degree from Yale School of Music, and a Bachelor of Music degree from Temple University both in Trombone Performance. Her primary teachers include Toby Oft, Scott Hartman, and Matthew Vaughn. Dr. Shafer is a Conn-Selmer Artist. 

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