Shannon Mowday

South African born performer, composer, director and arranger, Shannon Mowday obtained a Bmus Honours in Jazz Performance from the University of Cape Town and completed a Masters of Improvised Music at the Norwegian Academy of Music after relocating to Norway(2009). She plays all woodwinds but specialises on baritone/ bass saxophones and contra-alto clarinet.

As a performing artist and composer, her explicit aim is to blur boundaries of stylistic genres and break conventional moulds within the jazz /improvised music genre.

Awards include: Standard Bank Young Artist Award for Jazz(2007), Norsk Jazz Forum’s Storband prize (2018), Ungjazzprisen (2023).

Own projects include:
LILA, African Eyes (Oz), Galumphing Duo, MØTE, QI/CHI.

Notable projects she has composed/arranged for:
Bergen Bigband (Commission ‘Colourful Houses’), Ensemble Denada, Brazz Brothers, North Sea Big band, Det Nye Norske Storband, Bjergsted Jazz Ensemble, AOJO, Stabbsmusikk, Sandvika Storband, Starlight Big Band, DIOC, Ett Fett, SPEKTRA, 'Ballbreaker Ensemble', Taffelpikene.

In South Africa, she performed with all the major symphony orchestras as soloist with her music.(Cape Town-, Eastern Cape-, Durban Philharmonic,Johannesburg Festival Orchestras). She composed and performed music for award winning tv documentary series, Impresario and Jungle Beat.

Her composition ‘Woza Waltz’ was selected for the South African Jazz Real Book. ‘Woza Waltz' and ‘African Eyes’ selected for the South African Jazz Collection.