About

Sean MacCarthy-Grant (he/they) is a pianist, percussionist, educator, and composer from Seattle, Washington, based out of Washington. D.C. Sean has performed with groups across the country and beyond such as the Maryland Symphony Orchestra and Smithsonian Masterworks Jazz Orchestra alongside greats such as Louis Hayes, Midori Goto, Camille Thurman, Nick Kendall, the String Queens, and Cyrus Chestnut. He regularly works as an accompanist with groups such as the American Pops Orchestra and the Howard University Department of Music, and has been heard in venues from Seattle’s Benaroya Hall to the Supreme Court of the United States to the embassies of France and Belgium. Sean has held principal and section positions in ensembles across the country, such as the Atlantic Music Festival Contemporary Ensemble, Miami Music Festival Opera Orchestra, Lake George Festival Orchestra, Capital City Symphony, Mostly Modern Festival Orchestra, and Howard University’s Concert Band and Jazz Ensemble, where he serves as principal percussion. Sean toured throughout Europe with the North Stars Chamber Orchestra as principal percussionist and collaborative pianist, and currently studies multi-disciplinary music at Howard University with faculty such as Dr. Natalia Kazaryan, Christopher Barrick, and Charlie Young III.

A nationally-awarded composer, Sean’s works have been premiered and recorded by ensembles such as the United States Army Band, the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, the Unheard-of//Ensemble, counter)induction, M2M String Duo, and the American Modern Ensemble, and have been heard in venues across the nation from festival performances at the Mostly Modern, RED NOTE, Atlantic, and Alba Music Festivals to the three albums he has released with the Howard University Jazz Ensemble. Sean has published works for ensembles from solo instruments to symphony orchestra across classical, rock, funk, and American roots styles. His work “Pulsatio” was premiered in 2021 by members of the Seattle Symphony as part of the Merriman Family Young Composer’s Workshop, and his other works have attained honors from competitions throughout the country such as the WSMTA Student Composition Competition, Simon-Fiset Youth Composition Competition and BMI Student Composer Awards Competition. Sean’s work “A Minor Offense” was featured at the Seattle Folklife Festival, and he has been commissioned by groups across the country such as StreamDMV, for whom he produced a full-length feature film score for their 2023 film “Gimme the Loot,” a tribute to and resetting of the work of hip-hop artist Notorious B. I. G., and by the Howard University Jazz Ensemble for his 2024 tribute piece “A Tear For Benny,” commemorating the great Benny Golson. Sean holds a Bachelor’s in Music from Howard University in Music Education and Composition, with additional focuses in Piano Performance, Percussion Performance, and Secondary Education.

Sean performs, composes, and teaches professionally throughout the DMV area, in his regular solo and ensemble engagements, his private studio and as an in-demand musical director for educational, college, and community theatre productions. Sean has also been published as an author in the 2023 edition of the National Journal for Music Education. Sean also works as staff accompanist for the instrumental area at Howard University. He carries a principal mission of lifelong learning and of the constant development of one’s voice towards a dynamic and powerful musical identity.

Make your music happen.

Pictures by @onstagephotographer