Percussionist Bio:

Percussionist, Composer, Conductor, and Harpsichordist Sean Kleve is the founder of Madison Wisconsin’s premiere experimental percussion ensemble, Clocks in Motion. The group is dedicated to performing new and classic works for percussion instruments while promoting and supporting the education and future of new music.

Clocks in Motion has toured extensively throughout the United States and has commissioned dozens of new compositions from composers such as Marc Mellits, Andrew Rindfleisch, Jennifer Bellor, John Jeffrey Gibbens, Filippo Santoro, and countless young and emerging composers. As a performer of new music outside of Clocks in Motion, Sean has worked closely with a number of important composers and artists including Steven Schick, Charles Wuorinen, Steve Reich, Paul Lansky, Gunther Schuller, Krzysztof Penderecki, John Heiss, and Joan Tower. Clocks in Motion’s 2022 electro-acoustic album Oneira, released by Aerocade Music, features the music of Jennifer Bellor and can be heard on every major streaming service.

In addition to percussion, Sean is a professional harpsichordist and promoter of early keyboard historical instruments. Sean’s exploration of early music has led him to be a leader in the field of Bach on the marimba. He has presented his keynote lecture, Bach on the Wrong Instrument in residencies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the University of Northern Iowa, the Chazen Museum of Art, and the Percussive Arts Society Wisconsin Chapter. In this educational and performance-based lecture recital using both the harpsichord and the marimba, Sean makes compelling claims about the validity of Bach on the marimba and shows the possibilities of historically informed performance practice on modern and non-traditional instruments.

Not only known for his performances of contemporary music, Sean has also been successful in the orchestral field. Sean can be heard on the debut recording by the Chamber Orchestra of New York and has also performed with the Cleveland Chamber Symphony, the Dubuque Symphony, and the Quad City Symphony. In addition, Sean is a substitute percussionist/timpanist with the Madison Symphony Orchestra, the Madison Chamber Orchestra, and the Madison Bach Musicians.

Sean holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a Master of Music degree from the Manhattan School of Music, and a Bachelor of Music degree from Baldwin-Wallace University Conservatory of Music. His primary and most influential percussion, timpani, and marimba teachers are Anthony Di Sanza, Duncan Patton, Chris Lamb, She-e-Wu, Nancy Zeltsman, Josh Ryan, and Paul Yancich. Sean proudly performs on Marimba One marimbas and vibraphones.

Sean lives in Madison, Wisconsin with his wife, two kids, three dogs, and a massive board game collection. Sean maintains a small private teaching studio of pianists, harpsichordists, and percussionists of all ages.

Harpsichordist Bio:

Harpsichordist and historical performance enthusiast, Sean Kleve, is dedicated to the wide world of historical keyboard instruments and what they can tell us about the repertoire of the past. As a long-time performer of Bach on modern and non-traditional instruments, Sean recently dove into the wide world of harpsichord and historical performance. Sean’s particular interests center upon an understanding of figured bass improvisation, historical tuning, the music of J.S. Bach, and early Italian Baroque music from the 17th century.

Sean performs solo and chamber recitals on the harpsichord. Sean’s recent performances include Just Bach, the Kleve-Rasmussen Duo, the Rocky River Gifts of Music Concert Series, and Generation Baroque. Sean was a featured guest artist on the Bach Around the Clock Festival in Madison, WI and on the Sunday Afternoon Live at the Chazen Concert Series performing solo Bach on both marimba and harpsichord. He was a participant at the 2022-25 Madison Bach Musicians Summer Workshops and is the owner of an Italian Cristofori/Ferrini Harpsichord built by David Sutherland in 1984.

In addition to being a harpsichordist, Sean is also a professional percussionist who has blended his knowledge of historical performance practice with the modern practice of playing Bach on the marimba. He has presented his keynote lecture, Bach on the Wrong Instrument in residencies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the University of Northern Iowa, the Chazen Museum of Art, and the Percussive Arts Society Wisconsin Chapter. In this educational and performance-based lecture recital using both the harpsichord and the marimba, Sean makes compelling claims about the validity of Bach on the marimba and shows the possibilities of historically informed performance practice on modern and non-traditional instruments.

Sean lives in Madison, Wisconsin with his wife, two kids, three dogs, and a massive board game collection. Sean maintains a rapidly growing private teaching studio of pianists, harpsichordists, and percussionists of all ages. For more information about upcoming performances, lessons, and videos of past performances, please visit seanklevemusic.com.