Faculty

Sean R. Smither received his Ph.D. in music theory from Rutgers University and also holds an M.A. in music theory from Rutgers and a B.F.A. in jazz drumming from The New School. His research focuses on the analysis of jazz standards, improvisation, and group interaction, and utilizes tools from linguistics, philosophy, and cognitive psychology to shed light on musical concerns. His research has been published in Music Theory Online, Theory and Practice, and Jazz Perspectives, and he continues to present his work at conferences throughout North America. In addition to his teaching at Mannes, Sean is on the faculty at the Juilliard School, where he teaches jazz theory, and has taught music theory and analysis courses at Rutgers University.