Born: December 15, 1979 Primary Instrument: Piano
Sean graduated from the Queensland Conservatorium with a Major in Jazz Piano. He also holds a graduate certificate in Arts Administration from Queensland University of Technology and a Masters of Arts in Jazz Performance from the Leeds College of Music UK. In 2009 he was the APRA Professional Development award winner Jazz and is also a multiple winner of Queensland’s QSong Jazz Award in 2008 & 2006.
He has been the recipient of the prestigious Brisbane City Councils Lord Mayor’s Artist Fellowship in 2007 which together with funding from the Ian Potter Cultural Trust enabled him to complete his MA studying with artists such as John Taylor, Lars Jansson, Tord Gustavsen and Matthew Bourne around Britain and Europe.
He writes and performs in a variety of diverse situations and has performed at: Kutchan Jazz Festival (Japan), MIDEM Music Conference France, Calgary International Jazz Festival (Canada), The Queensland Music Festival and Biennial, The Vortex London, Pizza Express Jazz Club London, The Vortex, Birmingham Jazz Festival, The Castlemaine Festival, Wangaratta Festival of Jazz, Bennett’s Lane, Melbourne International Jazz Festival, Out of the Box (Children’s Festival), Brisbane Jazz Festival, Woodford Folk Festival, Valley Jazz Festival and many more.
He has released 3 acclaimed albums with the trio MISINTERPROTATO including the recent album VARIATIONS on the boutique British label NAIM and also arranged and co-wrote compositions on “Nightlight”, a Sean Foran/Megan Washington release (2006). “Nightlight” won the Bell Award for jazz vocal album of the year and in 2009 was number one on the AIR independent charts and Itunes Jazz charts.
Sean also works with the international trio “VEHERE” featuring Norwegian vocalist Kari Bleivik and Belgian Clarinetist Joachim Badenhorst. “VEHERE” released their debut album “Unravelling” and toured Australia in December 2009. In 2005 he was selected to attend the prestigious Banff Centre for the Jazz Program and studied with artists Dave Douglas, Vijay Iyer and others. Additionally he has received funding from the Australia Council for a mentorship with acclaimed pianist/composer Andrea Keller in 2006 and from Arts QLD for writing and recording projects.
He currently teaches piano in Brisbane at Marist Brothers College, Billy Hyde Music and is lecturer at JMC Academy Brisbane.
