Sean Beachy
(b.1975, Cumberland, MD) –
Sean Beachy was raised in Grantsville, Maryland, located in the western part of the state. He attended Alderson-Broaddus College in Philippi, WV, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Applied Piano. In May 2002, he earned a Master of Music degree in composition from Shenandoah University, studying with Dr. William Averitt. In December 2010, Dr. Beachy graduated from West Virginia University with a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in composition. While at WVU, he studied composition with Dr. John Beall and electronic music composition with Dr. David Taddie. Between 2007 and 2009, Dr. Beachy taught freshman written and aural theory at WVU as a graduate assistant. He also received one of 15 university-wide Dissertation Fellowships for the 2010 spring semester while completing his dissertation at WVU.
Dr. Beachy has had pieces premiered and performed throughout the United Sates. In 2007 his commissioned work Suite for Tuba was premiered by Logan Lindsey at the Hawkeye Regional Tuba Euphonium Conference at the University of Iowa. That same year, he won the First Annual Anthem Competition, sponsored by First Baptist Church of Worcester, MA. Then I Saw a New Heaven… for SATB choir and organ was premiered by the FBC Worcester chancel choir during the church’s annual music and arts weekend in April 2007. In 2009 his piece for soprano and electronics titled Stretch of Time was chosen to be performed at the SEAMUS annual conference at Sweetwater Sound, Inc., in Fort Wayne, IN. In 2011, Dr. Beachy won the Fifth Annual Anthem Competition with his piece A New Birth for SATB choir and organ, which was premiered in Worcester, MA, on May 1, 2011, during First Baptist Church’s 10:30 worship service. Most recently, he received commissions from Allegany College of Maryland and the City of Frostburg. On September 16, 2012, Mountain City Reverie for SSAATTBB choir and piano was premiered during the Bicentennial Celebration commemorating the 200th anniversary of Frostburg, Maryland. In October 2012, Dr. Beachy's Festival Overture for organ was premiered by the composer, marking the Inauguration of Dr. Cynthia S. Bambara, the Fifth President of Allegany College of Maryland. Most recently, Dr. Beachy had his setting of the Sanctus, completed in February 2015, premiered by members of the Frostburg State University Chamber Choir at the Basilica Papale di San Francesco in Assisi, Italy. It was also performed in Florence and Marcellina, Italy.
Dr. Beachy is currently Adjunct Instructor of Music at Garrett College in Garrett County, Maryland. In addition to teaching music classes, he teaches private piano and composition lessons through Garrett’s Continuing Education Program. Dr. Beachy has been a regional accompanist for close to ten years, performing for local high school choirs and festivals. As an accompanist, he has worked on staff at Frostburg State University, where he played for the Chamber Choir and Vocal Jazz Ensemble, as well as students for recitals. He has also works as a music director for the FSU's theater department and is the church organist at Frostburg United Methodist Church. He currently resides in Grantsville with his wife Debi, son Evan, and daughter Ella.
For more information on his music, please contact Dr. Beachy at
sdebeachy@hotmail.com
Works List
Piano
Eternal Life (c. 4" - 2011)
+For Emilee Grace (2' 30" - 2008)
Four-Hand Sonata (5' 30" - 2007)
On the Brink for piano and electronics (3' 18" - 2007)
* Sonata for piano (c. 5' - 2001)
3 Pieces on Improvised Themes (5' 15" - 2001)
Organ
+Festival Overture for organ (c. 6' 30" - 2012)
The Life of Christ - a collection of solo organ pieces for worship (2011)
Transfiguration (c. 5' - 2010)
* Concerto for Harpsichord and Positiv Organ (c. 11' - 2007)
Introit for Easter Sunday for trumpet, organ, and handbells (2' 30" - 2007)
Tuba
+Reel Encounter for tuba and piano (c. 4’ 30” – 2014)
+Out of the Abyss for tuba and piano (c. 7' - 2008)
* +Suite for Tuba for unaccompanied tuba (c. 10' - 2007)
Solo Voice
O Magnum Mysterium for soprano and piano (c. 4' 30" - 2011)
Lamentations for bass-baritone, tuba, and organ (c. 16' - 2011)
* Stretch of Time for soprano and electonics (4' 16" - 2008)
* Magnificat for soprano and organ (4' 45" - 2007)
* Two Songs on Poems by Rita Sims Quillen for soprano and piano (5' 45" - 2006)
3 Songs on Ginsberg for bass and piano (c. 9' - 2001)
Choir
* Sanctus for SATB (c. 3’30” – 2015)
* +Mountain City Reverie for SSAATTBB and piano (c. 7' - 2012)
* O Magnum Mysterium for SSAATTBB (c. 5' – 2012; rev. 2013)
* +A New Birth for SATB and organ (c. 5' - 2010)
Rejoice and Exult! - Christmas cantata for SATB and organ (c. 40' - 2008)
+Then I Saw a New Heaven... for SATB and organ (c. 5' - 2006)
All Glory Be Thine for SATB and piano (3' 10" - 2005)
Strings
String Quartet No. 2 (12' 30" - 2007)
Suite for Violin (6' 30" - 2000)
String Quartet No. 1 (3' 40" - 2000)
Orchestra
Concerto for Orchestra - Pic, 2, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2, 1; 4, 2, 3, 1; Timp, 3, Pno; Stri (c. 27' 30" - 2010)
Americana Suite - Pic, 1, 2, 2, 2; 2, 2, 3; Timp, 3; Stri (9' 45" - 2002)
Electro-acoustic
* Stretch of Time for soprano and electronics (4' 16" - 2008)
On the Brink for piano and electronics (3' 18" – 2007)
Popular Music
Found in Him (2015)
It's Alright (2015)
Jesus My God (2015)
Miscellaneous
Dream Journey for 8 percussionists (5' 20" - 2007)
Piano Quartet No. 1 (c. 2' 40" - 2005)
Jesus Loves Me for handbells (2' 30" - 2004)
Duet for Flute and Piano (4' 50" - 1997)
* To hear recordings, go to https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC06KzMVHSwA7rv_F8DEuRIA?view_as=subscriber
+ Commissioned works