Born and raised in Denver, Colorado, Sean has spent much of his time in the Rocky Mountain region. He graduated from the University of Wyoming (UW) in 2018 with a degree in Music Education. Sean is a also a graduate from the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) in 2020, where he received a Master’s Degree in Trumpet Performance as a member of the Graduate Brass Quintet Fellowship program.

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McKay's passion for music began at an early age listening to his father play piano. His interest in trumpet began in elementary school and he has not been able to put it down since. Sean was active with the Colorado Honor Band Association from middle school through high school; it is here that his passion for playing trumpet and performing developed.

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Throughout his college career, Sean has served as principal in the top wind ensembles and orchestras at both UW and CCM and even served as lead trumpet for the Wyoming Jazz Ensemble. He is featured on recording projects by both universities.

The two major recording projects that Sean is featured on include one with the Wyoming Jazz Ensemble on their album Winds of the Snowys. The other with the CCM Wind Symphony on their album Adams and Gershwin: Works for Piano & Wind Band also known as Grand Pianola Music.

 

Sean can be heard featured on the Gershwin Piano Concerto’s second movement.

Sean’s love and dream of professional pit orchestra playing came true when he served as the touring trumpet player for The Book of Mormon North American tour from 2022 through 2025. During the Summers of 2015, 2016, and 2017 Sean worked for the Bigfork Summer Playhouse, in Bigfork, Montana, as the trumpet player in the pit orchestra. He has been in numerous pit orchestras for various school and professional musical productions since.

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His love of music education reaches into public school system in both South Carolina and Wyoming. In South Carolina, he was the general music teacher at Riverside Elementary School. The following year, Sean moved to Gillette, Wyoming to teach beginning band and orchestra at six (6) elementary schools! He was traveling to three schools per day teaching 5th and 6th grade band and orchestra. He is currently a private lessons teacher at Pickering Creative Artists Academy in Denver, Colorado.

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Musicians with whom Sean has shared the stage include, but not limited to, Joseph Alessi, Louis Langree, Gerard Schwarz, Peter Olstad, Ben Markley, the American Brass Quintet, and Terell Stafford, including performances at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola in New York City.

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When Sean is not playing trumpet or teaching, he enjoys skiing, golfing, hiking, board games and spending time with friends, family, and his cat.