About

Sean is a piano teacher, musician, and composer based in Edmonton, Alberta. As a performer, composer and enthusiastic student of music himself with over 20 years of experience in music education, he has much to offer to others of various levels of ability and experience. Sean’s approach to teaching is characterized by his flexible approach and being able to respond effectively to individual student’s goals and interests. These may range from playing a simple song, tackling a complex classical piece, to simply feeding an interest and curiosity in music through exploration at the piano or other means. Sean keeps students engaged with a balance of fun and enjoyment, challenge and reward. 

Professional Background:

Notably, Sean’s teaching career is distinguished by over 17 years on the faculty of The Sarah McLachlan School of Music, in Vancouver. While there, Sean contributed as a classroom teacher, ensemble-based classroom instructor, and private lesson instructor in an organization recognized for its innovation in music education, and for providing free music education to otherwise underserved youth. Also, Sean has for many years run a successful teaching studio providing piano lessons and holding annual piano recitals for students of all ages. Now established in Edmonton with his wife and family, he continues to do so for a growing cohort of local piano students.

Education:

Sean’s music education began with a solid foundation of childhood classical piano (RCM) training which then became directed toward an interest in jazz and improvisation. He went on to earn a Diploma of Contemporary Instrumental Music from the School of Music at VCC. Sean gained recognition while there, being awarded the Chris Gage Memorial Scholarship for Jazz Piano. Sean also devoted another 2 years in the acclaimed Capilano University Jazz Studies program before moving on to pursue other opportunities in music.

Performance career:

In his performance career, Sean has joined fellow musicians on stages as far away as Hanoi, Vietnam to Iqaluit, Nunavut. He has performed regularly in ensembles small and large, as a sideman, leader, and solo. In addition to jazz and swing, he finds expression in other genres. Sean has collaborated and recorded in numerous projects with styles ranging through hip-hop, country, folk, latin, and electronic, to the more avant-garde, and also performed music for theatre productions and provided live improvised accompaniment to silent film. 

Composition:

As a composer, notable accomplishments include writing score or otherwise helping to deliver music over 100 episodes of the PBS animated children’s series “Martha Speaks” under Daniel Ingram (My Little Pony). As well, as a member of Cloud People Productions he sound-designed and scored an award winning Vancouver/Winnipeg produced short film “Tender Wild Animal”, appearing in film festivals and broadcast on the CBC Short Shots Festival. Sean is excited to be involved with Cloud People on the current production and scoring of a feature length film project.