Flutist Meghan Shanley Alger explores sounds on everything from harmonica and beer bottles to live electronics, knitting needles and pencils. With an uncanny ability to create specific atmospheres, even The New York Times has praised Meghan for “singing into her flute to produce surreal and eerie timbres.” She ventures into the extreme with composers, pushing the boundaries of what is possible to create new worlds. Her performance credits include the Kennedy Center, AMP by Strathmore and Peabody Library of Baltimore, as well as Symphony Space and Carnegie Hall.

Shanley Alger uses commissioning and programming to advance social change, designing concerts that prompt reflection and participation from audiences. Current projects include a debut album of living women composers highlightighting the power of the archetypal feminine energy, with works by Pamela Z, Lunon, Socolofsky and Nourbakhsh. Other projects include a participatory concert in which audiences honored lost loved ones.

The ensemble she co-founded, Balance Campaign, consists of flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano and percussion. A laboratory of sound and experimentation, Balance Campaign collaborates with composers to reimagine the concert experience and surprise listeners. The ensemble’s debut recording features a work by Nathan Lincoln de Cusatis that highlights human evolution and our impact on the planet. Upcoming collaborations include works by Alexandra T. Bryant and Ashi Day that focus on everything from moms and mice to the Salem Witch Trials.

As a teaching artist, Shanley Alger has presented workshops and residencies in Italy at the Alba Music Festival, as well as University of Maryland and Catholic University. Committed to connecting with students and audiences through shared experience and insight, Shanley Alger regularly presents community engagement performances at schools, universities and festivals.