Sean McQuaid

Sean McQuaid is a jazz trumpeter, arranger, and composer based in Atlanta, Georgia.

Born and raised in Ossining, New York, Sean grew up listening to Frank Sinatra, Miles Davis, and Chet Baker at his grandparents' home, forming an early connection to jazz and the trumpet that continues to shape his musical voice.

His first significant trumpet teacher was Jerry Lucadamo, who provided a strong technical and musical foundation in Sean's early development. A major embouchure change became a turning point, leading him to Laurie Frink, whose teaching profoundly reshaped Sean's concept of sound and efficiency on the horn and rooted him in the principles of Carmine Caruso. Around this time, he began performing professionally at age 16 with the late Ray Blue, marking the start of his career as a working jazz musician.

Sean earned a Bachelor of Music from SUNY Potsdam's Crane School of Music, studying trumpet with John Ellis and performing in the school's jazz ensemble. He later earned a Master of Music in Jazz Studies at SUNY Purchase, where he studied with Dizzy Gillespie protégé Jon Faddis, served as a graduate assistant in the Conservatory of Music, and performed in the conservatory's jazz ensemble. During his academic studies, he continued private study with Tatum Greenblatt, Ingrid Jensen, Joe Magnarelli, Bret Zvacek, Iantheia Calhoun, and Marquis Hill.

Following graduate study, Sean moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where he remains active as a performer, arranger, and composer in Atlanta's jazz scene.