Zane Forshee moves fluidly between worlds—classical and contemporary, analog and digital, performance and provocation. Whether reimagining minimalist soundscapes through amplified guitar or launching bold models for arts education, Forshee’s work expands what a concert, a curriculum, or a career in music can be.

Baltimore City Paper put it simply: “As the old adage goes, those who cannot do, teach. Apparently Zane Forshee didn’t get the memo…”

He has brought new energy to the classical guitar stage, commissioning and premiering works by voices as diverse as Luke Bedford, Kris Johnson, Kerim König, and Elliot Cole. His discography ranges from Valenciano: Guitar Works of Asencio, Esplá & Rodrigo (No. 1 Amazon Classical, No. 6 Billboard Crossover) to the cinematic and contemplative my heart comes undone and My Name is Red.

In his latest project, Breaking Counterpoint, Forshee steps into immersive performance design, blending sound, media, and movement in collaboration with Wendel Patrick, Emmy-nominated choreographer Katherine Helen Fisher, and the award winning Orange Grove Dance. With music by Michael Laurello, Steve Reich, and others, Breaking Counterpoint transforms the concert space into a sensory installation—where audiences don’t just watch, they witness, inhabit, and interpret.

At the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University, Forshee holds the Marc C. von May Distinguished Chair of Professional Studies and directs LAUNCHPad, where he shapes new models of arts education to reflect his own boundary-crossing practice. He spearheaded the Breakthrough Curriculum, a national model for creative entrepreneurship, and co-authored The Path to Funding, a resource that empowers artists to build sustainable careers.

Forshee’s influence extends beyond the stage. His workshops, master classes, keynotes, and guest lectures—delivered at institutions including the Yale School of Music, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, University of Edinburgh, North Carolina School of the Arts, The Johns Hopkins University, and the Cleveland Institute of Music—reveal a restless curiosity for how artists learn, lead, and build careers on their own terms. His perspectives have resonated across fields, from conservatories to national conferences on arts entrepreneurship and adult learning.

A Fulbright Scholar whose work in Spain combined research and performance with cultural outreach, Forshee’s contributions have been supported by the Maryland State Arts Council, Wigmore Charitable Trust, D’Addario Foundation, and multiple grants from Johns Hopkins University.

Forshee is a D’Addario Artist and performs on D’Addario strings.