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Dr. Sean Kelley

  • Position: Director of Bands, Coordinator of Music Education
  • Department: Dr. Grier Williams School of Music
  • Office Location: Building 82 / Room 215
  • skelley1@uwf.edu
  • Campus: 850.474.2174

Biography

Dr. Sean Kelley is the Director of Bands at the University of West Florida, where he directs the Argo Athletic Band Program (comprising the Argo Marching Band and Basketball Band) and the Dr. Grier Williams School of Music Symphonic Band. He also serves as the Coordinator of Music Education, overseeing the Bachelor of Music Education degree and supervising the clinical/student teaching program. 

A native of Fairborn, Ohio, and now residing in Pensacola, Dr. Kelley is an active composer, arranger, show designer, guest conductor, and clinician for high school bands throughout the United States. He has adjudicated music ensembles across the Midwest with the Central States Judges Association and has served as Director of the Wright State University Concert Band, Assistant Director of the Cincinnati Junior Youth Wind Ensemble, and as a teaching graduate assistant with Wright State University’s Wind Symphony and the University of Oklahoma’s Wind Symphony, Symphony Band, “Pride of Oklahoma” Marching Band, and “Sound of the Sooners” basketball band.

Degrees & Institutions

Prior to arriving at UWF, Dr. Kelley held a similar role at North Central College for nine years, where he founded the institution’s marching band, elevated the reputation of the band program, and led the music education program to annual 100% placement rates for all program graduates. Before entering higher education, Sean served as Director of Bands for the Hillsboro and West Clermont school districts in Greater Cincinnati. He holds degrees in music education from Wittenberg University and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and degrees in wind conducting from Wright State University and the University of Oklahoma.

Special Interests

Dr. Kelley is the founder and music director of The Naperville Winds, a professional wind band focused on performing and recording the most important repertoire for winds and percussion. Under his direction, The Naperville Winds have released two full-length albums, “Beginnings” and “Distant Lands,” which are available wherever music is streamed or downloaded.