Bio
Dr. Sean J. Kennedy is a distinguished artist-teacher and percussionist whose career defines the modern scholar-performer. As a Doctor of Arts and a leading authority in percussion pedagogy, he serves as Adjunct Professor of Percussion and Jazz at Arcadia University. Within the School District of Upper Dublin, he directs the foundational 4th and 5th-grade band programs and leads the High School Jazz Band, while maintaining instructional leadership roles at Wissahickon School District and Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School.
World-Class Performance & Versatility
Since 2004, Dr. Kennedy has served as the Principal Percussionist for the Philadelphia Boys Choir & Chorale, providing the rhythmic foundation for the internationally renowned ensemble. He is also the drummer for the Doc Severinsen Tribute Band and a core member of The Gardyn Jazz Orchestra. His ability to move fluidly between genres earned him high praise from the late Dave Brubeck, who remarked, “Your drumming sounds like it should; it swings!” while the Philadelphia Inquirer has highlighted his “intense and sometimes far-out live performances.”
Sean’s performance résumé includes collaborations with major orchestras such as the Atlanta Symphony, Jacksonville Symphony, and The Philly POPS!. He has performed on tours with iconic artists including Roger Daltrey (The Who), Lindsey Stirling, Evanescence, and Il Volo, and has performed with jazz legend Bob Mintzer and rock icon Liberty DeVitto. His appearances on iconic stages—from Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center to Radio City Music Hall and The Kennedy Center—highlight the caliber of his artistry, which has also been featured live on Good Morning America.
Innovation, Authorship, & Leadership
Beyond the stage, Dr. Kennedy is a prolific author and innovator. He has published definitive instructional texts with Hudson Music, Alfred Music, and Carl Fischer, and his TEDx Talk, “Happy Accidents: Drumming Up Serendipity,” has inspired audiences worldwide. He is the leader of The Sean J. Kennedy Quartet and the founder of The Rolling Buzzards Brigade, a groundbreaking virtual ensemble featuring world-leading percussionists like Dame Evelyn Glennie, Nitzan Haroz and Chris Coletti.
A recognized figure in the global percussion community, Dr. Kennedy is a Guinness World Record holder and serves as the Secretary of the Percussive Arts Society (PAS) Pennsylvania Chapter. He is also a voting member of the Recording Academy (The GRAMMYs).
Academic Foundation & Professional Endorsements
Dr. Kennedy’s teaching is informed by three decades of classroom experience and a rigorous academic background. He earned his Doctor of Arts from William Carey University, a Master of Music in Performance, and a Bachelor of Science in Music Education from West Chester University.
He proudly endorses Canopus Drums, Zildjian Cymbals, Vic Firth Drumsticks, Evans Drumheads, Grover Pro Percussion, Casio Keyboards, One Beat Better, RimRiserUSA, and The Drum Wallet. Through a rare combination of technical mastery and creative innovation, Dr. Kennedy continues to shape the next generation of musicians through a dedicated, research-based approach to mentorship.
What They're Saying...
Your drumming sounds like it should, it swings!
Dave Brubeck
..intense and sometimes far-out live performances…
The Philadelphia Inquirer
..very soulful...
Will Lee
...organic grooves with a great feel. You're going to swear Sean grew up around the Mississippi Delta.
DrummerCafe.com
There are a lot of onions on this young man’s cheesesteak...
DRUM! Magazine
...creatively new, but built on solid foundations of traditional jazz.
Jazzreview.com
Drum Set Committee & PAS Pennsylvania Chapter Secretary
| Tours that Sean has performed on... |
|
Il Volo "Notte Magica"  |
|
Salute to Vienna  |
|
Video Games Live  |
|
Jerry Garcia Symphonic Celebrations with Warren Haynes  |
|
Rocktopia  |
|
Roger Daltry and The Who  |
|
Lindsey Stirling & Evanescence  |
|
Otakon  |
 Il Volo Sings Morricone |
|
Il Volo World Tour 
|
JAZZ SET-UPS
| Small Group Jazz and Funk Set-Up 1- 14" K CONSTANTINOPLE SERIES HI-HATS 2- 20" K CUSTOM LEFT SIDE RIDE WITH 3 RIVETS 3- 22" K CONSTANTINOPLE RENAISSANCE RIDE or 20 K CUSTOM LIGHT FLAT RIDE WITH 3 RIVETS 4- 18" K CONSTANTINOPLE CRASH 5- 20" K CONSTANTINOPLE BOUNCE RIDE WITH 3 RIVETS | Big Band Jazz Set-Up |
ROCK SET-UP
|
1- 14" A ZILDJIAN NEW BEAT HI-HATS 2- 18" A ZILDJIAN MEDIUM THIN CRASH 3- 21" A ZILDJIAN SWEET RIDE BRILLIANT FINISH 4- 16" A ZILDJIAN MEDIUM THIN CRASH  |
Here is a short list of some of the artists and groups that Sean J. Kennedy has had the privilege of performing with...
| Artists |
| Atlanta Symphony Orchestra |
| Lindsey Stirling |
| Evanescence |
| Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra |
| Il Volo, Gianluca Ginoble, Piero Barone, and Ignazio Boschetto |
| Rachel Zatcoff |
| Lindsay Roberts |
| The Philly POPS! Orchestra |
| Liberty DeVitto |
| Richie Cannata |
| Ricky Byrd |
| Bernard “Pretty” Purdie |
| Tommy Campbell |
| Tito Puente, Jr. |
| Bob Mintzer |
| Frederick Fennell |
| Donald Nally |
| The Philadelphia Boys Choir, under Jeff Smith and Robert Hamilton |
| The Philadelphia Choral Arts Society |
| The Allentown Band |
| Larry McKenna |
| Ernie Watts |
| Tim Price |
| The Strauss Symphony of America |
| Ivan Bodley |
| Frosty Lawson |
| Colonel Arnald D. Gabriel |
| Colonel John Bourgeois |
| Colonel Tim Foley |
| W. Francis McBeth |
| Kevin Cotellese |
| Anthony Viscounte |
| Charles Levin |
| Boston Ballet |
| The Savoy Company [Gilbert and Sullivan] |
| New York Musical Theatre Workshop |
| Steve Lippia |
| Will Lee |
| Jack Wall and Tommy Tallorico and The Video Games Live Orchestra |
| Hickory Brass |
| Tim Price and Jazz-A-Delic |
| City Rhythm Orchestra |
| Eric Marienthal |
| Jerry Vivino |
| Gary Smulyan |
| The Suzie Brown Band |
| Mike Merritt |
| Michael Amante |
| Poperazzi! |
| Jeff Sipe |
| Warren Haynes |
| Allentown Symphony Orchestra |
| Hugh Panaro |
| The Cape May Pops |
| Rocktopia |
| Ray Gelato |
| Corky Siegel |
| Lancaster Symphony Orchestra |
| Sylvester Stallone, Michael B. Jordan & Dolph Lundgren (SJK was a background actor in the 2018 movie Creed 2) |
| Andrew Synowiec |
| Chris Coletti |
| Jay Webb |
| Giampiero Grani |
| Gardyn Jazz Orchestra |
| Doc Severisen Tribute Band |
| Roger Daltrey and The Who |
| Cecille |
| Peter Lemongello, Jr. |
| Bay Atlantic Symphony Orchestra |
| Morgan James |
| Reading Symphony Orchestra with Andrew Constantine |
| Philadelphia Gay Men's Chorus with Michael Semancik |
| ...just to name a few. |
Here is a short list of some of the venues that Sean J. Kennedy has performed at...
| Venues |
| Avery Fischer Hall at Lincoln Center, NYC |
| Radio City Music Hall |
| Grand Theater, Foxwoods Casino, CT |
| State Theater, Easton, PA |
| Theater at National Harbor, MGM, Oxon Hill, MD |
| Central Park SummerStage, NYC |
| Santander Performing Arts Center, Reading, PA |
| PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel, NJ |
| Verizon Hall at The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, Philadelphia |
| The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington DC |
| The Berklee School of Music, Boston, MA |
| Atlanta Symphony Hall, Woodruff Arts Center, Atlanta, GA |
| The State Theater of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ |
| Chris' Jazz Cafe, Philadelphia, PA |
| World Cafe Live, Philadelphia, PA |
| Villanova Universtiy, Villanova, PA |
| Busch Gardens, Orlando, FL |
| The Academy of Music, Philadelphia, PA |
| Deep Blue, Wilmington DE |
| Allentown Symphony Hall, Allentown, PA |
| EPCOT Center, Orlando, FL |
| Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom, Allentown, PA |
| The Cutting Room, NYC |
| Drummers Collective, NYC |
| St. Mark's Church, Philadelphia, PA |
| The Capital Rotunda, Harrisburg, PA |
| Alois, Mt. Joy, PA |
| The Arts Scene, West Chester, PA |
| Bethlehem Musikfest, Bethlehem, PA |
| The Promenade, Marlton, NJ |
| The Vespers Club, Philadelphia, PA |
| Williams Center for the Arts, Easton, PA |
| Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA |
| Philadelphia University, Philadelphia, PA |
| Ursinus College, Collegville, PA |
| The DeMoss Center Auditorium, Newtown Square, PA |
| Fairfield-Ludlowe Auditorium, Fairfield Conneticut |
| Mitchell Center for the Performing Arts, Bryn Athyn, PA |
| WRDV-FM Studios, Hatboro, PA |
| New Hope, PA |
| Crystal Tea Room, Philadelphia |
| Washington's Crossing open-air Theater, NJ |
| Independence Visitor's Center, Philadelphia |
| Penn's Landing, Philadelphia |
| Vet's Stadium, Philadelphia, PA |
| Union League, Philadelphia |
| Irvine Auditorium at The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia |
| Philadelphia Convention Center, Philadelphia, PA |
| Hershey Convention Center, Hershey, PA |
| Puck Live, Doylestown, PA |
| Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, PA |
| NBC Studios, Philadelphia |
| Various Casinos in Atlantic City, NJ |
| Calvert Hall, Baltimore, MD |
| The Daily Grind, Hatboro, PA |
| Grace Presbyterian Church, Jenkintown, PA |
| Haverford School, Haverford, PA |
| Jefferson House, Norristown, PA |
| Montgomery Mall, North Wales, PA |
| Moore College of Art and Design, Center City Philadelphia |
| Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Center City Philadelphia |
| Philadelphia International Airport, Philadelphia, PA |
| Summerfield Suites, Plymouth Meeting, PA |
| Vicmead Hunt Club, Wilmington, DE |
| Villanova Law School, Villanova, PA |
| West End Grille, West Conshohocken, PA |
| Willard Intercontinental Hotel, Washington, DC |
| Willow Grove Baptist Church, Willow Grove, PA |
| Yellow Springs Art Gallery, Yellow Springs, PA |
Beacon Street Theater, NYC |
| Embreeville State School and Hospital |
| Whitemarsh Memorial Park, Horsham, PA |
| Mayfair Lake Side Stage, Allentown, PA |
| The Colonial Theatre, Phoenixville, PA |
| ABC Studios, Times Square, NYC, live on "Good Morning America" |
| Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen, Disneyland, Anaheim, CA |
| Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, CA |
| The Electric Factory, Philadelphia, PA |
| Temple University Performing Arts Center, Philadelphia, PA |
| Bldg 24, Reading, PA |
| The Vault, Yardley, PA |
| Cape May Convention Center, Cape May NJ |
| Fulton Theater, Lancaster, PA |
| Lancaster Bible College |
| Constellation Brands–Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center: CMAC Canandaigua, NY |
| BB&T Pavilion, Camden, NJ |
| The Xfinity Center, Mansfield, MA |
| Jiffy Lube Live in Bristow, VA |
| Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, CT |
| Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, NY |
| Wind Creek Event Center |
| Etess Arena at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Atlantic City |
| Villa Roma Resort in the Catskills, NY |
| Stockton Performing Arts Center |
| Independence Seaport Museum, Philadelphia |
| ...just to name a few! |
Performance Career:
- Principal Percussionist for the Philadelphia Boys Choir & Chorale (since 2004).
- Drummer for The Doc Severinsen Tribute Band (2020–present).
- Performances with major orchestras: The Philly POPS! Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra.
- Tours with artists such as Il Volo, Roger Daltrey (The Who), Evanescence, Lindsey Stirling.
- Featured performances at iconic venues: Carnegie Hall, Radio City Music Hall, David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Central Park SummerStage, Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen at Disneyland.
- Appeared on Good Morning America Live from Times Square, NYC.
Recording Artist & Compositional Work:
- Leader of The Sean J. Kennedy Quartet, releasing notable albums: Road to Wailea (2004), Queen Anne’s Revenge (2007), Hey! Where's My Tux?! (2013).
- Collaboration with jazz legend Bob Mintzer on Queen Anne’s Revenge and with drummer Liberty DeVitto.
- Creator of The Rolling Buzzards Brigade, blending rudimental drumming with modern interpretations, featuring Dame Evelyn Glennie, Clayton Cameron, Chris Coletti, Bernie Dresel, Neil Grover, and Nitzan Heroz.
- Release of The Downfall of Paris (2020), recognized for blending traditional and modern drumming.
- Additional projects: Connecticut Halftime and The Three Camps (2020), showcasing traditional and contemporary drumming styles.
Classical Collaborations & Contributions:
- Featured on The Allentown Band’s Our Band Heritage series.
- Contributions to The Philadelphia Boys Choir & Chorale albums: Celebrate the Sounds of the Season (2009) and Winter Wonderland (2016).
- Compositions featured in Philadelphia Real Book, Vol II.
Educational & Public Speaking:
- Educator at Arcadia University and Upper Dublin and Wissahickon School Districts.
- National educator and speaker at events like NAMM GenNext Session and PASIC.
- TEDx Talk, "Happy Accidents: Drumming Up Serendipity", discussing the history and evolution of the drum set.
- Author of educational books: Camp Jam: Rock Solid Drums and I Used to Play Drums (co-authored with Liberty DeVitto).
Leadership & Innovation:
- Creator of The Rolling Buzzards Brigade, an all-star virtual ensemble formed during the 2020 national shutdown.
- Recognized in International Musician Magazine, Drummer Nation, and WLRH Huntsville Public Radio for unique musical collaborations.
- Compositions continue to break new ground in jazz and classical settings.
Industry Recognition:
- Praised by Dave Brubeck: "Your drumming sounds like it should, it swings!"
- Featured in The Philadelphia Inquirer for "intense and sometimes far-out live performances."
- Recognized by DrummerCafe.com for "organic grooves with a great feel."
Academic Background & Endorsements:
- Master of Music in Percussion Performance and Bachelor of Science in Music Education from West Chester University.
- Currently completing a Doctor of Arts in Music (focus on jazz drumset) at William Carey University.
- Member of the Percussive Arts Society Drum Set Committee and Secretary for the Pennsylvania chapter of PAS.
- Artist Endorser for Canopus Drums, Zildjian Cymbals, Vic Firth Drumsticks, Grover Pro Percussion, Evans Drumheads, Casio Keyboards, One Beat Better, RimRiserUSA and The Drum Wallet.