Dr. Patrick M. O’Shea joined the music faculty at College of DuPage in 2022 as the
Director of Choral Activities. From 1997 to 2022 he taught at Saint Mary's University
of Minnesota serving as Professor of Music and Director of Choirs.
At COD, he directs three choirs and teaches courses in music theory, ear training and music history. Choirs under his direction have performed throughout the United States and Europe.
His composition teachers have included the late Russell Woollen, as well as Thomas
Fredrickson and Randall Shinn. He has served frequently as a clinician and adjudicator,
and is increasingly commissioned to write new works, particularly for choral and chamber
music ensembles. Dr. O’Shea is a member of the American Choral Directors Association,
the American Society of Composers Authors and Publishers, American Composers Forum,
and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia music fraternity. His biography appears in "Who’s Who in
America" and "Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers."
In his more than 25 years of work in higher education, Dr. O’Shea has contributed
to disciplinary and general education curricular design, student recruitment, diversity
and inclusion initiatives, and faculty tenure and promotion review. He also was the
point person for COVID-19 mitigation protocol design in the Department of Fine and
Performing Arts at Saint Mary’s University, in conjunction with serving on the Performing
Arts COVID Advisory Group for the Minnesota Department of Health. He has served on
multiple non-profit organization boards over the past two decades. His further interests
include organizational system design, group dynamics and civic engagement.
Areas of Expertise
- Choral Music
- Vocal Music
- Contemporary Music Analysis
- Music Composition
- Music Curriculum Design
Contact O'Shea at osheap709@cod.edu or (630) 942-2552.
Education
- D.M.A. Choral Music, Arizona State University
- M.A. Choral Music, University of Illinois
- B.A. Choral Music and Vocal Performance, Arizona State University