Shanice Richards

Shanice Richards is a multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and Music Therapist whose work integrates performance, education, and therapeutic practice. Drawing on her Caribbean heritage and influences from jazz, gospel, and soul, she brings a distinctive musical voice to traditional old-time fiddling, infusing it with rhythmic vitality and cultural depth.

Her approach to her fiddling reflects an ongoing exploration of how diasporic traditions inform and enrich contemporary musical expression. 

Rooted in the principles of community music therapy, Shanice's practice centers on inclusion, accessibility, and empowerment through shared music-making. She is particularly committed to serving individuals and communities who experience limited access to creative resources or who have been impacted by social and economic marginalization. Guided by the belief that music functions as both a cultural and therapeutic force, she facilitates participatory experiences that foster self-expression, connection, and resilience.

Shanice has provided both individual and group music therapy sessions in Memory Care and with the Florida Alzheimer’s project, The Boys and Girls Club, Gadsden County Schools, and the Family Autism Support Team (FAST) in Valdosta, Georgia. These experiences have strengthened her commitment to culturally responsive and community-centered practice.

As a member of the collaborative string band The Little Mercies, she has presented with the Gulf Coast Sinfonia Youth Orchestra Education & Community Engagement Program and taught violin, guitar, and bass at Sandy’s Music Girls Camp for the last two years. These teaching and outreach roles reflect her belief that community-based music-making nurtures confidence, creativity, and belonging among participants of all ages.

Through her ongoing work as a performer, therapist, and educator, Shanice Richards continues to explore how music—particularly through Caribbean folk and African diasporic traditions—can serve as a bridge between cultures, and a source of collective healing.