Acclaimed composer and trumpeter Sean Jones has been named Chair of Berklee College of Music’s Brass Department. He will build on the legacy of the department and ensure that graduates have the skills to thrive in a music industry that is ever-changing. A respected and in-demand musician, Jones just released his seventh album as a leader, im•pro•vise = never before seen, on Mack Avenue Records.
Jones graduated from Youngstown State University in Ohio and earned his master’s from Rutgers University. He was lead trumpeter for the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra for six years while continuing to tour, perform and record regularly. Jones has also recorded and performed with artists including Joe Lovano, Jimmy Heath, Nancy Wilson, and Dianne Reeves; and toured with Marcus Miller, Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter in their Tribute to Miles.
Jones has been active in education as well, teaching at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh and the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, while also serving as Artistic Director of both the Pittsburgh and Cleveland Jazz Orchestras.
“When I was looking for colleges, Berklee seemed to be this shiny beacon on a hill that a kid from Warren, OH couldn’t quite get to,” said Jones. “I never thought that I’d be in a leadership position at that shiny beacon. It’s surreal to me and I’m honored to be given the opportunity…I envision propelling [the department] into the future.”
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