Faculty and Staff
Sean Sweeden DMA
Composer in Residence
A native Arkansan, Sean Sweeden began studying music with his parents at a young age, singing in church choirs, ACDA honor choirs, and musical theatre. At Arkansas Tech University he studied percussion with Philip Parker, voice with Dr. Jon Clements, and saxophone with Kenneth Futterer, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Percussion and Vocal Performance. He performed in percussion ensemble, band, choir, jazz band, theatre orchestra, music theatre workshop, and opera workshop.
In May 2013 he earned the Master of Music in Percussion Performance from the University of Arkansas, studying percussion with Chalon Ragsdale and composition with Dr. Robert Mueller. He received the Doctor of Musical Arts in Percussion Performance at the University of Missouri–Kansas City in May 2018, studying with Kansas City Symphony principal percussionist Christopher McLaurin and Dr. Nick Petrella.
He is published with C-Alan Publications, won the Lee University Percussion Ensemble Composition Contest in 2014 and the VocalEssence Welcome Christmas Carol Contest in 2016. He is especially interested in works that combine percussion and chorus.
He was appointed to membership in the William Baker Festival Singers in 2016, has been a featured soloist in numerous concerts and recordings, was appointed Composer in Residence in 2020, and serves as a fellow of the Institute for Choral Creativity.