معرفی
Sean Butterfield is the Director and Clinical Associate Professor of Trumpet and Music Theory at the Lionel Hampton School of Music, University of Idaho, where he has served since 2010. He teaches the trumpet studio, trumpet ensemble, and undergraduate music appreciation, and plays a key leadership role in the school's academic and outreach initiatives.
His research and performance interests center on orchestral trumpet playing, music pedagogy, and brass ensemble education. He is an active performer, serving as principal trumpet with the Steamboat Symphony Orchestra, Idaho Bach Festival, and Washington Idaho Symphony, and as second trumpet with the Walla Walla Symphony. He is also a founding member of the Northwest Brass and was previously part of the Apollo Chamber Brass, emphasizing educational outreach.
Butterfield earned his Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Colorado-Boulder in 2011, where his dissertation on American orchestral trumpet playing received the prestigious $25,000 Devaney Dissertation Fellowship. He also holds a Master of Music from Western Michigan University and a Bachelor of Music with highest honors from the University of Colorado-Boulder, with an emphasis in jazz.
He has performed at major events including the International Trumpet Guild Conference and the National Trumpet Competition, and led the revival of the Lionel Hampton Music Camp in 2017, now serving as its Director. He was also selected for the ThinkOpen Fellowship to develop open educational resources for music theory instruction.
- $25,000 Devaney Dissertation Fellowship
Butterfield has advised numerous trumpet students, many of whom now pursue active professional careers in music. His trumpet ensemble reached the semi-finals of the National Trumpet Competition in 2016. He previously held a one-year appointment as Instructor of Trumpet at Washington State University (2011–2012). He is a Bach Trumpet Artist and co-hosted and later chaired international trumpet competitions, demonstrating significant leadership in the trumpet community.
He is actively involved in professional ensembles and educational outreach, including the Idaho Brass Quintet and the Northwest Brass, and promotes entrepreneurship and musicianship among students. His work bridges performance, education, and academic administration, making him a central figure in music education at the University of Idaho.
