A native of Texas, Shabria Chantell Ray began her study of the viola at the age of five through the Young Strings program, founded by the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. By the age of nine, she was performing in her first orchestra, under the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra (GDYO) organization. During high school she began musical studies under David Schultz of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra.

After graduating from Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, Shabria studied Viola Performance with Dr. Kathryn Steely at Baylor University. At Baylor Shabria sat principal chair in the Baylor Symphony Orchestra, played in the Waco Symphony Orchestra, and substituted for both the Brazos Valley Symphony and the San Angelo Symphony. Shabria graduated from Baylor University with a Bachelor of Music degree in May of 2013.

Shabria obtained her Master of Music degree in Viola Performance from University of Maryland in May of 2015 under Katherine Murdock. At the University of Maryland Shabria sat principal chair in the University of Maryland Symphony Orchestra and the University of Maryland Opera Orchestra. An active student at the University of Maryland, Shabria’s chamber groups placed in the University of Maryland’s Chamber Honor Concert each semester. While at the University of Maryland Shabria became a founding member of rogue collective. The DC based collective of musicians, dancers, and artists performs unique repertoire in venues around the DC/Maryland/Virginia area.

As an orchestral musician, Shabria has performed under the baton of JoAnn Falleta, Keith Lockhart, Ken Lam, Matthias Bamert, David Effron, Grant Llewellyn, and Thomas Wilkins.

Shabria has attended many music festivals including the Brevard Music Center, Hot Springs Music Festival, the Karen Tuttle Coordination Workshop, Miami Summer Music Festival, and Summit Music Festival. Shabria has also had lessons and master classes with the best viola pedagogues in the country such as Michael Klotz, Erika Eckert, Jennifer Snyder-Kozoroz, Ann Marie Brink, Daniel Foster, Carol Rodland, Susan Dubois, Steven Tenenbom, Roberto Diaz, Lawrence Dutton and Jeffery Irvine.

Shabria now lives in Lubbock, Texas where she is a viola section player for both the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra and the Midland-Odessa Symphony Orchestra and Chorale. Shabria enjoys teaching violin and viola and loves to play jazz during her free time.