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Ms. Shirley W. McRae is Professor Emerita at the Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music at the University of Memphis where she taught for 25 years and served as Coordinator of Music Education for seven years. At the University of Memphis, she taught courses in aural theory, children's choirs, hymnology, choral conducting, and music education. Prior to her appointment to the University of Memphis faculty, McRae was an elementary school music specialist. She is a native of Memphis, Tennessee and she holds a Bachelor's degree in piano performance from Texas Woman's University, where she was elected to Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities. She received her M.A. and M. Ed. degrees and four levels of Orff certification from the University of Memphis. She was national co-chair of the 2005 Conference of the American Orff-Schulwerk Association in Birmingham.
McRae is a widely known specialist in Orff Schulwerk, an innovative approach to teaching music to children, and has taught certification courses at the University of Wyoming, Central Connecticut State University, Samford University, the University of Nevada at Las Vegas, University of Central Florida, and the University of Memphis. She also presents numerous in-service workshops in cities in the United States and Canada and has presented sessions at national conferences of the American Orff-Schulwerk Association and at state and regional MENC meetings. She has long been active in adult and children's choirs, serving as children's choir director at Evergreen Presbyterian Church in Memphis from 1988-93, and is an active clinician in choir festivals and regional summer seminars (Lake Junaluska and Montreat, in North Carolina). She was a member of the editorial board of The Chorister.
McRae has published nine books of folk and original songs arranged for treble voices and Orff instruments. Two of these collections, Celebrate and Let Us Praise God (Augsburg Fortress), are intended for children's church choirs. Shared Harmony (2001) presents folk and original materials for early experiences in part singing. She has secular and sacred mixed choral works published by G.I.A., Broude Brothers, Abingdon, Neil A. Kjos, Plymouth (now Colla Voce), Alliance, Pavane, Hal Leonard, Choristers Guild, and Mark Foster. Four compositions have won awards in contests sponsored by Ithaca College and the Denver Women's Chorus. She is a contributing composer to the United Methodist Hymnal Supplement (I and II), Rejoice, Give Thanks and Sing (SAB anthems) and was the featured author and composer in the May 1991 and September 1995 editions of Church Music Workshop (Abingdon Press).
A major work, Directing the Children's Choir: A Comprehensive Resource, was published in 1991 by Schirmer Books and covers all aspects of the choir program, establishing a philosophical base as well as providing many practical ideas. It is now undergoing extensive revision. A recorder group method book, Tutoring Tooters , was released in September 1990, by Memphis Musicraft. Published in 1995 by Abingdon Press is a collection of descants to 45 hymn tunes, High Praise. A commissioned hymn tune appears in the 1997 Supplement To the Hymnal 1982 of the Episcopal church.
Five of her compositions have been commercially recorded on the Pro Organo, Penguin Digital, and Mark Custom labels. One of these works was chosen by National Public Radio for the program, "Pipe Dreams," aired in April and December 1992. Choral pieces have been performed in New York's Alice Tully Hall (1990) and Carnegie Hall (1994). She was the 1991 recipient of the Dean's Faculty Creative Achievement Award at the University of Memphis and has received ASCAP awards each year since 1993 for her compositions. "The Song Inside of Me," commissioned for the Tennessee Bicentennial, 1996, was declared by Resolution 221 of the State Legislature the official state Bicentennial song. In 2000 she was nominee for Premier Music Teacher of the Year by the Memphis Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.
American sampler : ethnic and regional American folk songs arranged for unchanged voices and Orff instruments score
Angel at the door : Southern folksongs : voices and Orff instruments score
Carol of Creation : unison/two part voices with keyboard and percussion score
Chatter with the angels : folk songs from the American Black tradition score
Christ was born in Bethlehem : combined (unison and SATB) choirs with organ, flute and Orff instruments score
Fair warning : a testament to independence in old age score
Glow ree bee : traditional Black spirituals arranged for unchanged voices and Orff instruments score
The Gospel train : three-part treble voices with percussion score
Hodie score
Let us praise God : music for unison / two part voices and Orff instruments score
Lift up your voices : a set of four anthems for Communion, Thanksgiving-General, Advent and Christmas score
Litany for advent score
Love's music : for treble chorus (SSAA) and piano or harp score
Maria wanders through the thorn score
The moon's secret score
Music alone shall : unison/three-part canon with optional keyboard score
Now the green blade rises : a spring carol score
Old Dan Tucker : three-part treble voices with keyboard percussion score
Playtime : instrumental pieces for Orff ensembles score
Sing a new song score
Sing Noel : three Christmas songs for unison voices with Orff instruments score
Songs for the east wind : four Asian hymns for unison voices and Orff instruments score
There is no rose score
Three mountain carols : unison voices with Orff instruments score
Tutoring tooters : a group recorder method score
Your trusting child : unison voices with keyboard, opt. soprano glockenspiel, flute and finger cymbals score