Award-winning musician Shawn Okpebholo earned his degrees at the prestigious University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. But he credits his start in music to The Salvation Army church, where he received free music lessons as a child, and to his mother’s tenacious support. The breadth of Dr. Okpebholo’s work is extraordinary: chamber works, art songs and choral music, opera, orchestral music and concertos, and music for wind and brass band, as well as some jazz, film music, and pop. He is in demand as a composer for commissions from top-tier ensembles including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, United States Air Force Strings, Tanglewood, Aspen, and Imani Winds, to name just a few. Shawn Okpebholo spoke with Suzanne about his career as a working composer and an educator.