What inspired your love for music? What has your musical journey been so far?

When I was in the 3rd grade, my father took me to see James Galway in concert. I was enamored with his playing and impressed (as a child would be) with the gold flute. After the concert, I told my parents I was going to play the flute just like James Galway. While I ultimately moved toward composition and scholarship rather than performance, that experience still resonates with me all these years later.

What brought you to Swarthmore?

Swarthmore's reputation is well known, so I jumped at the chance to be associated with this school! Combine that with the gorgeous campus, incredibly intelligent students, and accessibility via public transportation and you have a winning combination that encourages pride and thoughtfulness.

What is your area of specialization? What will you be teaching at Swarthmore?

My area of expertise is in music and meaning as applied to popular music styles and music in interactive multimedia (mainly video games). My secondary specialty is 20th-century avant garde music and set theory. I'll be teaching Music 13: Harmony, Counterpoint, and Form 3 this semester and I couldn't be more excited!

What excites you about being here? What are you looking forward to?

So many things are exciting about Swarthmore! I think first and foremost is working with such an incredible student population—these students research, write, and become active community members (it's inspiring!). Wandering around campus is also inspiring—taking in the beautiful foliage is a breath of fresh air compared to the city (I live in Philadelphia). I'm looking forward to exploring more of the campus and listening to the wonderful student ensembles!

How has your semester been so far?

It's been a fantastic learning experience! I'm used to classrooms of 25 to 30 students (I've even taught a few classes with around 80 enrolled students), so the smaller class size represented a particular challenge (albeit a welcome one!). I find myself impressed consistently by the students; their thoughtful engagement and willingness to explore new styles and concepts is invigorating! Additionally, the relative calm of the campus provides an atmosphere where I feel relaxed and at peace—quite the nice experience!

Interesting facts/anything additional that you would like to share!

Two of my hobbies are cooking and cocktail crafting—my wife and I even make our own liqueurs and bitters! We constantly try to cook new things and are willing to try complex recipes when we have the time. Some of our favorite meals to cook include tonkotsu ramen, pan pizza (Detroit style), Japanese style curry, French onion soup, and chicken parmesan. I also run educational Youtube and TikTok channels under the name "Dr. Sean says" where I try to post fun and educational music content for all ages to enjoy!