Sean Perrin
Clarinet Instructor
Sean Perrin is a clarinetist, percussionist, and songwriter who was born, raised, and musically-trained in Calgary, Alberta. Sean’s musical journey started at the age of twelve in his junior high school band program, and has continued onward and upwards for nearly three decades. He was an active member of the Calgary Stampede Showband from 1998 to 2005, member of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra’s Protégé Program in 2007, concertmaster of the University of Calgary Wind Ensemble in 2008, and obtained a Bachelor of Music Degree in Clarinet Performance from the University of Calgary in 2009.
During his career, Sean has performed and recorded with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, Red Deer Symphony, and Bow Valley Chorus; shared the stage with international pop icons like Brett Kissel, Diana Krall, Shania Twain, and Keith Urban; has had the opportunity to perform at Tokyo Disney, Disneyland, and Disneyworld; and has had the great honour of performing for Queen Elizabeth II and then Prince Charles. His first solo album “Dreamsongs” reached number 5 on the Canadian iTunes Jazz charts in 2016, and was reviewed favourably by Evan Ziporyn (composer, founding member of “Bang on a Can,” and music professor at MIT) who said the music was “beautiful in playing, sound, and concept.” The music from this project was performed dozens of times to thousands of junior high and high school students over the next four years at the Vic Lewis Music Festival and Mount Royal University. Internationally, Sean is best known for his work as a music podcaster, having interviewed over 200 world-class musicians as the host of the Clarineat Podcast and OK Podcast: The Radiohead Podcast shows, which have been streamed over one million times in 100+ countries around the world.
As a music educator Sean has taught private students who have ranked highly in Royal Conservatory of Music examinations, and have been admitted to University music programs throughout the world. He has taught thousands of students as a music clinician for the Mount Royal University Conservatory and has worked as an adjudicator for the Bands of Calgary, and The Calgary Performing Arts Festival, and has presented at Music Conference Alberta.
After a serious hand injury, becoming a father, and a brush with death, Sean had the revelation that if he didn’t record his own music, it would die with him. He put his classical career on hold to pursue his songwriting career, and created the alternative rock project called INNERSPEAR. This name is an anagram of his full name SEAN PERRIN, and represents this literal re-arranging of his musical life.
INNERSPEAR’s debut EP has received over 20,000 streams, and radio play across the country, including features on CBC’s “The Eyeopener,” “Key of A,” and “The Homestretch” radio programs. As a solo act, he has been invited to perform at Chinook Blast, the Calgary Folk Club, Rocky Mountain Folk Club, The Ironwood, and more.
As Sean continues to evolve as an artist, he remains dedicated to breathing his unique life experiences and perspectives into his music, finding his true audience, and leaving a lasting legacy for his three children.