Scott Shelsta is trombone soloist for "Pershing's Own" The United States Army Band, Ft. Myer, Virginia. Scott has played for all President's and their guests, including foreign heads of state, since President Nixon. One of his military highlights was playing for the Internment of the Vietnam Unknown Soldier.

Shelsta grew up in Hayti, South Dakota where he participated in various state, county, and regional music contests as a young trombonist. He began his performance career in the fifth grade while playing solos for various American Legion and patriotic occasions.

While at Augustana College in Sioux Falls SD 1967-71, he studied with the late fine player-teacher Tom Ellwein who had been a member of the US Marine Band, Washington DC. Upon graduation, he taught public school instrumental music in Luverne MN from 1971-73, and toured with the famed Glenn Miller Orchestra.

Shelsta continued his performance education at the University of Northern Colorado, studying with the acclaimed Master Teacher Edwin "Buddy" Baker. Upon his graduation in 1974 with a Master's Degree in Brasswind Performance and Pedagogy, Shelsta enlisted in the United States Army Band as a replacement for the late great trombone soloist SGM David Maser.

Shelsta's forte as a trombone artist centers around the turn of the century style of playing. These types of solos are extremely demanding and seldom heard in public. The artist must obtain a careful balance between strength and flexibility-the age old problem of brass players everywhere.

Arthur Pryor's Blue Bells of Scotland and Air Varie are considered classic technical showpieces for trombone. Pryor was a noted soloist with the Sousa Band before becoming leader and soloist of his own highly successful concert band.

Shelsta has been the Chairman of the Eastern Trombone Workshop since 1993, a member of the International Trombone Association, a Lifetime Member of the Ringgold Band of Reading PA, a member of the Brass Ensemble of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, the Classical Brass, the Interservice Trombone Choir of Washingotn DC, the Washington Brass, the Washington Federation of Musicians, and has been principal trombone in the Washington Chamber Symphony with its twenty-five regular concerts annual at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts. For thirty years, he has been a member of the internationally acclaimed United States Army Band Brass Quintet which had no personnel changes for its first twenty four years of existence.

He has recently been a part of tours to Australia, Canada, the Caribbean, Japan, Norway, Netherlands, Sweden and is continually playing solo concerts throughout the United States with municipal and collegiate wind ensembles.

Scott has brought to the United States Army Band a wide range of professional playing experiences, from Symphonic to Jazz. They include Bob Hope Specials, Wayne Newton Orchestra, Glenn Miller Orchestra, Bobby Vinton Orchestra, Dean Martin Orchestra; appearances with Johnny Cash, Arthur Fiedler, Maxine Andrews, Ubie Blake, Dr. Frederick Fennell, Dr. William Revelli, and a guest artist with The Joy of Music Television Series On World Famous Organs with Diane Bish.

He has appeared with the Lynchberg, McClean, and South Dakota Symphony Orchestras, and has been principal trombone with the Washington Chamber Symphony. He has been a frequent soloist at major educational and professional organizational events: forty-five state MENC conventions, the American Band Masters' Convention, the American Choral Directors' Camp, the Arlington Chorlis , the Corcoran Art Gallery Artist Recital Series, the East Wing of the National Art Gallery Recital Series, the Eastern Trombone Workshop, the Great American Brass Band Festival, the National Flute Conference, the Interlochen School of the Fine Arts, the International Trumpet Guild, the Manhattan School of Music, the Juilliard School, the NYC Brass Conference for Scholarships, the TUBA Conference, the Old Dominion University Brass Workshop, and the National Solo Trumpet Competition.

Other solo appearances include the Sioux Falls Municipal Band, the Danvers Pops Ensemble Symphonic Band, Real People, Allentown Band, Reading Ringgold Band, Evansville Symphonics Band, and Gardens of Stone movie soundtrack, Carnegie Hall, the Hollywood Bowl, Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, and Radio City Music Hall.