Harpsichordist and historical performance enthusiast, Sean Kleve, is dedicated to the wide world of historical keyboard instruments and what they can tell us about the repertoire of the past. As a long-time performer of Bach on modern and non-traditional instruments, Sean recently dove into the wide world of harpsichord and historical performance. Sean’s particular interests center upon an understanding of figured bass improvisation, historical tuning, the music of J.S. Bach, and early Italian Baroque music from the 17th century.
Sean performs solo recitals and chamber works on the harpsichord. Sean’s principal harpsichord teachers are Trevor Stephenson and Jason Moy. As a Percussionist, Composer, and Conductor, Sean founded Madison Wisconsin’s premiere experimental percussion ensemble, Clocks in Motion. The group is dedicated to performing new and classic works for percussion instruments while promoting and supporting the education and future of new music. Clocks in Motion has toured extensively throughout the United States and has commissioned dozens of new compositions from composers such as Marc Mellits, Andrew Rindfleisch, Jennifer Bellor, John Jeffrey Gibbens, Filippo Santoro, and countless young and emerging composers. Clocks in Motion’s 2022 electro-acoustic album Oneira, released by Aerocade Music, features the music of Jennifer Bellor and can be heard on every major streaming service.
Not only known for his performances of contemporary music, Sean has also been successful in the orchestral field. Sean can be heard on the debut recording by the Chamber Orchestra of New York and has also performed with the Cleveland Chamber Symphony, the Dubuque Symphony, and the Quad City Symphony. In addition, Sean is a substitute percussionist/timpanist with the Madison Symphony Orchestra, the Madison Chamber Orchestra, and the Madison Bach Musicians.
Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Sean completed his Bachelor of Music degree in Percussion Performance at Baldwin-Wallace University and his Master of Music degree at the Manhattan School of Music. Sean completed his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in classical percussion with a minor in music theory at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2014. Sean commissioned five new experimental compositions and professionally recorded the pieces for his doctoral project. Sean was a recipient of the Paul Collins Fellowship (2010-2013), which is awarded to outstanding graduate performance majors and determined by a committee of performance faculty.
Sean lives in Madison, Wisconsin with his wife, two kids, three dogs, and a massive board game collection. Sean maintains a rapidly growing private teaching studio of pianists, harpsichordists, and percussionists of all ages. For more information about upcoming performances, lessons, and videos of past performances, please visit seanklevemusic.com.