Shannon Jacob: A Sri Lankan-Born Composer Bridging Cultures Through Music

From Boston’s classrooms to Colombo’s iconic Lotus Tower, Shannon Jacob is building a distinctive creative journey that brings together music, cultural identity and the stories of communities across borders.

For Sri Lankan-born composer, music director, performer and educator Shannon Jacob, music is more than an art form. It is a language through which people explore identity, preserve heritage and connect across cultures.

A proud product of Bishop’s College, Colombo, Shannon Jacob has built an international career spanning classical, jazz, gospel and contemporary music. A graduate of Berklee College of Music, where she earned a Bachelor of Music in Contemporary Writing and Production, she currently serves as Assistant Chair of Professional Music at her alma mater, contributing to faculty development, equitable teaching practices and classroom management.

Alongside her work at Berklee, she teaches in Boston College’s African and African Diaspora Studies Program, where her courses explore music and social justice, women in blues, country music, Black roots and gospel. She also directs the Voices of Imani Gospel Choir and serves as vocal director for the Theater Department’s productions.

Musical Foundation Rooted in Sri Lanka

Jacob’s musical journey began in Colombo, where she studied classical music with Barbara Cooray before pursuing contemporary training with Ruwani Seimon and Vinodh Senadheera.

Her early involvement in church music and community service shaped her understanding of music as a force for social connection. In 2011, she founded Music.Inc., a show choir initiative that uses performing arts to raise awareness and fulfil wish lists for terminally ill and underserved children.

This commitment to community remains central to her creative philosophy, informing both her compositions and her approach to education.

Exploring Belonging Through Composition

Jacob’s work frequently examines cultural hybridity, migration, postcolonial identity and the relationship between personal memory and collective history. She is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Global Cultures at King’s College London, where her research further informs her interdisciplinary approach to music.

One of her significant works, Motherlands: Belonging, was written for orchestra and tabla. It received its world premiere from the Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka and its US premiere from the Boston College Symphony Orchestra in spring 2024.

Bringing together Western orchestral writing and South Asian musical traditions, the composition explores belonging, empathy and the experience of navigating multiple cultural identities.

In 2024, her arrangement of the African American spiritual Rock O My Soul premiered internationally with the Boston College University Chorale. The work was subsequently featured during the ensemble’s European and Scandinavian tour in 2025.

Bringing Sri Lankan Heritage to a Global Stage

Jacob’s creative work also extends beyond concert halls and educational institutions. In 2024, she was commissioned to compose music for Colombo’s Lotus Tower, integrating her work into the monument’s immersive digital experience as a tribute to Sri Lankan heritage and innovation.

The interactive digital display received three awards at the 2025 Wow Awards Asia, highlighting the growing possibilities of combining music, technology and cultural storytelling.

Her academic interests also connect seemingly distant musical traditions. Through guest lectures at institutions including Harvard University, Boston Conservatory at Berklee and Boston College, she has explored subjects ranging from gospel music and spirituals to postcolonial identity in South Asian music and the transnational connections between Sri Lankan baila and Trinidadian soca.

A Continuing Creative Journey

In November 2026, Jacob is set to contribute to the Sri Lanka Design Festival in Colombo as composer and musical brand creator. Her planned involvement also includes guest lectures and the development of a digitally mapped exhibition in the city.

Today, based in Boston with her husband, Drew Dorman, Jacob continues to bring together her experiences as an educator, composer and researcher.

At the heart of her work is a belief in creating inclusive spaces where people feel seen, heard and empowered. Through music that crosses geographical and cultural boundaries, she continues to explore how diverse histories can coexist, communicate and inspire a deeper understanding of what connects us.