About
Equal parts performer, scholar, arranger, and coach, Sean Millman is an American drummer-percussionist and deliberate practice scholar. Dr. Millman is a New York-trained performing artist and earned a Ph.D. in Percussion Performance from NYU Steinhardt.
Dr. Millman joined the drumset roster for Disney Cruise Line in 2025, after previously sailing with Holland America Line. Sean’s commercial performance experience spans over 30 countries across four continents, and domestically throughout the Tri-State area, New England, and Florida. Work on land includes playing at Carnegie Hall, Symphony Space, National Sawdust, and Off-Broadway houses across New York City, as well as New Hampshire’s New London Barn Playhouse and Weathervane Theatre. As a classical percussionist, he has performed with the Adelphi Orchestra, Amore Opera, Westchester Band, and the Ocala Symphony Orchestra, and shared the stage with Stanley Drucker, John Miller, Joe Passaro, Josh Quillen, and the members of Sandbox Percussion.
Sean formerly held the applied percussion instructor position for Missouri Southern State University, and has taught as an adjunct at NYU and graduate assistant at the University of Florida. Non-academic teaching includes Queens Symphony teaching artist work, Guitar Center stores, Yamaha Sounds of Summer events and a 501c3 community music center. Dr. Millman has presented masterclasses to NYU, the University of Florida, Newberry University, Lee University, Stephen F. Austin State University, CUNY Lehman College, and Tec de Monterrey (Mexico). He has delivered research presentations for PASIC and the national conferences of NACWPI and CMS.
Dr. Millman is an extensively experienced percussion arranger for the marching arts, with 16 completed field shows for clients ranging from competitive and noncompetitive high school bands and a Division 3 college football band, to DCI SoundSport and All-Age. Instructional experience ranges from single-section battery tech, to caption head, to head band director at Eastside High School for the 2025 marching band season.
Hailing from Atlanta, Sean completed his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees at the University of Florida. Principal teachers include Jonathan Haas, Jason Haaheim, Jim Saporito, and Dr. Ken Broadway. Dr. Millman is a past chair of the PAS Scholarly Research Committee and past coordinator of the PAS Thesis and Dissertation Repository, and took part in the 2024 Eastman Leadership Bootcamp.
Professional memberships include PAS, AMS, CMS, NACWPI, FBA, and NAfME.
Publications have appeared in Percussive Notes, Rhythm! Scene, and Allegro.
Dr. Millman endorses Vic Firth, Zildjian, and Black Swamp.
