About

Shea Socrates is a music educator, guitarist, poet, and composer living in Detroit.

Presently, Shea is a third-year music teacher at Baldwin Elementary School in Rochester, Michigan. Shea takes work as a freelance classical guitarist, and is an alumnus member of the Oakland University Guitar Ensemble, directed by Prof. Bret Hoag.

Shea graduated with their Bachelor’s Degree in Instrumental Music Education & Classical Guitar Performance from Oakland in December of 2022. During their time at Oakland, Shea had studied guitar under Professor Bret Hoag since 2016, participating with the Oakland Guitar Ensemble, the Oakland University Chorus (under the direction of Dr. Mike Mitchel), and various chamber ensembles. In October of 2025, Shea received their Master’s Degree in Curriculum & Instruction (MSCIN) from Western Governor’s University.

Previously, Shea received an Associate’s Degree in Music Technology from Mott Community College, studying classical guitar with Dr. Mari Yancho. In addition to Shea’s position at Baldwin, they have previously taught guitar, bass guitar, ukulele, beginning piano, and various camps and classes for Voices of Flint Youth Chorus in Flint, Michigan, Troy School District’s Sound Power program in Troy, Michigan, Sounds Like Fun Music in Auburn Hills, Michigan, at all three Red Piano Music Studio locations (Oxford, Royal Oak, and Rochester, Michigan) and at El Ballet Folklórico Estudiantil in Flint, Michigan.

Shea also writes poetry and nonfiction. Their work has appeared in HAD, Passages North, and JAKE.

Shea was proudly a guitarist with El Ballet Folklórico Estudiantil’s professional mariachi from 2020-2025.