Sean J. Kennedy

Director

CoEd Varsity Marching Band

B.S. Music Education, West Chester University

M.M. Percussion Performance, West Chester University

Sean J. Kennedy is a multi-faceted musician, equally accomplished on the stage, in the recording studio, and in the classroom. He has released four critically acclaimed albums, and is the author of five award-winning drumset, percussion and jazz text books.  

Kennedy has been a full-time band director in the School District of Upper Dublin since 1996 and a lecturer at Montgomery County Community College since 2010.  Prior to taking over the Wissahickon Marching Unit in 2015 Mr. Kennedy was on the marching band staffs of Archbishop Wood High School, Bishop McDevitt High School, Downingtown High School, Great Valley High School, and Spring-ford Area High School.  He has also served as a Cavalcade of Bands adjudicator for Marching Band, Jazz Band and Indoor Percussion competitions.

An active performer, Kennedy's recent professional drumset and percussion performances include appearances with The Philly POPS! Orchestra, The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, The Jacksonville Symphony, The Strauss Symphony of America, and The Philadelphia Boys Choir & Chorale.  Since June 2011 Mr. Kennedy's jazz band has been the official band of The Philadelphia Phillies’ pre-game show, Behind the Pinstripes with Scott Palmer, with frequent performances at Citizens Bank Park and on Phillies.com.  September 2015 marked Kennedy’s Carnegie Hall debut, with his original orchestral composition, Fear in Neutral Buoyancy, which was commissioned by the Youth Philharmonic Orchestra.

Having received multiple honors and distinctions throughout his career, Kennedy was honored as a Distinguished Alumni of The West Chester University School of Music on the college's online Spotlight Series in 2016.  Kennedy has a B.S. in Music Education and an M.M. in Percussion Performance from West Chester University, and is an Artist Endorser for Zildjian Cymbals, Vic Firth Drumsticks, Ludwig-Musser Drums and Percusion, Casio Keyboards and Evans Drumheads.  He is also a member of the American Federation of Musicians, is a registered composer, songwriter, and publisher with Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI), and is a voting member of the Recording Academy (NARAS).