Diplomatte Musical Instruments

Dr. Paul Shelden

Diplomatte was founded by Dr. Paul Shelden, a lifelong clarinetist, saxophonist, flutist, conductor, arranger, and educator who received his BS and MS degrees at the Juilliard School where he was a scholarship student of Arthur Christmann and Joseph Allard. He received the Doctor of Musical Arts Degree from the University of Maryland. Cited as a "strong stage personaility" by Backstage Magazine, he has performed premieres of works by Hindemith, Aitken, Etler, Starer, Erb, Brown, Zukofsky and others – many of these works were written for him.

He has also appeared in orchestras for many Broadway shows and appeared with many well known chamber music groups and regional orchestras.

A respected educator, Dr. Shelden was professor of music at universities, most notably at Brooklyn College where he retired after 34 years. As an administrator at Brooklyn College, he served as Director of the Department of Music in the School of General Studies, was Assistant Director of the Conservatory of Music, Director of Graduate Studies in Music, and finally Assistant Dean for Research and Graduate Studies for the college.

He has appeared as an adjudicator and clinician through the US and gives master classes and workshops in the US and Canada every spring. He has many recordings to his credit and has written articles for professional and academic journals.

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IN MEMORIAM

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Dr. Shelden passed away on April 17, 2020, due to complications from COVID-19.

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Donations may be made in his memory to either of:

 

1. Brooklyn College Conservatory of Music: go to https://secure.etransfer.com/EFT/BlockCode/donation1.cfm?d2org=BCF&d2tool=donate, select “Other” from drop-down menu, select “Memorial Gift” and then enter “in honor of Professor Emeritus Dr. Paul Shelden,” specifying in comments “Conservatory of Music Scholarships in memory of Prof. Emer. Dr. Paul Shelden” (or, if by physical check, made out to “Brooklyn College Foundation,” with "Conservatory of Music Scholarships in memory of Prof. Emer. Dr. Paul Shelden" in the memo line, mailed to Conservatory of Music Scholarship Fund, Conservatory of Music, Brooklyn College, 2900 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11210); or  
    

2. Rock Steady Boxing at the New York Institute of Technology: go to https://alumni.nyit.edu/giving/nyitcom, select “NYITCOM Parkinson’s Rock Steady Program” from drop-down menu, and in the comments enter “In memory of Dr. Paul Shelden, second-generation boxer” (or, if by physical check, made out to “NYIT” with “Rock Steady Boxing Program in memory of Dr. Paul Shelden, boxer” in the memo line, and mailed to Stacey Bogdan, Development and Alumni Relations, Northern Blvd., P.O. Box 8000, Old Westbury, NY 11568).

 

For more on Dr. Shelden's passing, see:
 

• New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/08/obituaries/paul-shelden-dead-coronavirus.html

• Newsday: https://www.newsday.com/news/health/coronavirus/obituaries/paul-shelden-obituary-1.44291103

• NY Daily News: https://www.nydailynews.com/coronavirus/ny-coronavirus-obituary-paul-shelden-20200501-jbfcqvg6sbevtf56xs653j73nq-story.html

• Jewish Telegraph Agency: https://www.jta.org/2020/04/27/bonds-of-life/paul-shelden-79-music-educator-who-founded-instrument-company

• Slipped Disc Journal: https://slippedisc.com/2020/04/new-york-mourns-influential-clarinetist-79/

• LI Herald: https://www.liherald.com/fivetowns/stories/musician-extraordinaire-dr-aul-shelden-dies-at-79,124611

• Cleveland Jewish News: https://www.clevelandjewishnews.com/jta/paul-shelden-79-music-educator-who-founded-instrument-company/article_cc4b25be-3eb2-536d-8e14-e253ce7ba9eb.html

• The New Yorker mention: https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/the-pandemic-is-the-time-to-resurrect-the-public-university

• Jazz at Lincoln Center Memorial Concert mention: https://youtu.be/qnb5duYcwb0?t=573

• Brooklyn College Notice: http://www.brooklyn.cuny.edu/web/academics/schools/mediaarts/departments/music/fermata/200422.php