Sean Elliott
Sean Elliott is a Doctor of Musical Arts candidate at the West Virginia University School of Music in Morgantown, West Virginia. A native of Morgantown, he began studying the violin at age five through the WVU Community Music Program under the guidance of Mary Wilson. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music Performance from West Virginia University and a Master of Music in Performance from Carnegie Mellon University. His principal teachers include William van der Sloot, Sunmi Chang, Mikylah Myers, Ellen-Maria Willis, and Mary Wilson.
An accomplished performer, Sean has received numerous collegiate scholarships, including the Valerie Canady Charitable Trust Foundation Scholarship. He is a two-time winner of the WVU School of Music Young Artist Competition, earning top honors in 2016 with Vieuxtemps’ Violin Concerto No. 5 and again in 2021 with Vivaldi’s “Spring” and “Summer”from The Four Seasons. He has performed as a soloist in masterclasses with distinguished artists such as Chris Wu of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, as well as internationally renowned violinists Midori and Ray Chen. As a chamber musician, he has appeared with the WVU Graduate Quartet in performances for the ensemble Time for Three and other esteemed guest artists.
Sean’s festival appearances include serving as Concertmaster of the Round Top Summer Festival Orchestra in Texas during its 45th season. He has also participated in Music From Salem, a violin and viola chamber music seminar with Boston Conservatory faculty Sharan Leventhal and Lila Brown. Internationally, he performed with the American Institute of Musical Studies (AIMS) Orchestra in Graz, Austria, where he served as both a section violinist and Assistant Concertmaster. Most recently, he has participated in the Violin and Viola Bootcamp workshops at Duquesne University, led by Charles and Rachel Stegeman.
In addition to his academic and festival work, Sean maintains an active professional career. He currently holds tenure as Principal Second Violin of the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra and serves as Associate Principal Second Violin of the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra. He also performs as a section violinist with the Pittsburgh Opera Orchestra and Pittsburgh Ballet Orchestra and appears regularly with the Chamber Orchestra of Pittsburgh and the Monongalia Symphony Orchestra. During the summer season, he performs at the Sunflower Music Festival in Topeka, Kansas, and the Buzzards Bay Musicfest in Marion, Massachusetts.
A dedicated educator and collaborator, Sean teaches private lessons in his community and frequently performs as a substitute with regional orchestras, including the Huntington, Washington, and Westmoreland Symphony Orchestras. He remains an active presence in the Morgantown musical community, collaborating with students, faculty, and professional musicians in recitals and performances throughout the region.