Screen Composers Guild of Canada (scgc)

Sean Fulton is an Edmonton-based Musician, Composer, and Music Teacher offering in-studio and online instruction in piano, theory, sound lab, and electronic and digital music production.

As a working musician who believes in sharing the gift of music, himself an enthusiastic student of music with over 25 years of experience in music education, he has much to draw upon to offer absolute beginners to those further along in their musical journey.

Sean’s approach to teaching is characterized by a flexible approach that can be attuned to respond effectively to individual student’s goals and interests. Specifically, these may range from playing a simple song or tackling a complex classical piece, to learning to jam. More broadly, one may be hoping to cultivate and expand a musical world through exploration and discovery at the piano and other means. For some, the preference may be to pursue a set course, steadily developing musical skills in a more structured and progressive manner. Or both!

A parent may be looking for that piano teacher who can provide the right balance of structure and fun in ‘lessons’, that is fitting for their child.

An advanced pianist, or other instrumentalist, may be looking to advance or level up their music theory, or have an interest in learning how to improvise.

Digital music production, the crafting of beats, may interest us. We may be curious about synthesizers and electronic instruments, or recording music and sound.

There may be an interest (like some we may know..), in all of the above!

Equipped with these offerings, Sean keeps students engaged with a balance of fun and enjoyment, challenge and reward.

Professional Teaching Background:

For students young and old, Sean draws upon over 25 years of experience in music education, combined with a wealth of worldly music-making and musical performance experience.

Simultaneous to pursuing a career as a performer, session musician, and composer, Sean has for many years run a successful teaching studio in Vancouver, BC and now Edmonton, AB, providing piano lessons and holding annual piano recitals for students of all ages. Sean’s teaching career is also distinguished by over 17 years on the faculty of The Sarah McLachlan School of Music, in Vancouver. While there, Sean contributed as a classroom teacher, ensemble-based classroom instructor, and a private lesson instructor in an organization recognized for its innovation in music education, and for providing free music education to otherwise underserved youth.

Education:

Sean’s music education began with a solid foundation of childhood classical piano (RCM) training. Also participating in a much lauded junior high band program, Sean had the opportunity to play trombone and stage band percussion in festivals and performances at locations in Alberta and British Columbia. Along the way, Sean developed an interest in jazz and improvisation. Initiating his study through Grant MacEwan University in Edmonton, he eventually went on to earn a Diploma of Contemporary Instrumental Music from the School of Music at VCC in Vancouver. Sean gained recognition while there, being awarded the Chris Gage Memorial Scholarship for Jazz Piano. Sean also devoted another 2 years in the acclaimed Capilano University Jazz Studies program furthering his studies in jazz while pursuing a minor in Trumpet and Classical Piano, before moving on to pursue other opportunities in music.

Further to his music studies, Sean later studied Digital Audio Production at The Art Institute of Vancouver, gaining his Pro Tools Level II accreditation and further developing his ‘music and sound’ know-how, in the digital and electronic domain.

Composition:

As a composer, notable accomplishments include writing score or otherwise helping to deliver music for over 100 episodes of the PBS animated children’s series “Martha Speaks” under Daniel Ingram (My Little Pony). As well, as a member of Cloud People Productions he sound-designed and scored an award winning Vancouver/Winnipeg produced short film “Tender Wild Animal”, appearing in film festivals and broadcast on the CBC Short Shots Festival. Sean is excited to be involved with Cloud People on the production and scoring of a feature length film project.

Performance/Recording career:

In his performance career, Sean has joined fellow musicians on stages as far away as Hanoi, Vietnam to Iqaluit, Nunavut. He has performed regularly in ensembles small and large, as a sideman, leader, and as solo pianist. Armed with a solid foundation of classical training and subsequent development as a jazz musician and improviser, Sean finds expression in multiple genres and also performed music for theatre productions and provided live improvised accompaniment to silent film. He has and continues to collaborate, perform, and record as pianist and keyboardist in various projects, including more upcoming releases!