Jazz Fest Adjudicator

Terry O’Mahoney - drums

Drummer Terry O’Mahoney is Professor of Music at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish (Nova Scotia), Canada and is active as a performer, adjudicator, and clinician throughout the US and Canada. He holds a Masters in Jazz Performance from the University of Miami (FL) and private studies with jazz drummer Jeff Hamilton. He has performed on drumset with numerous jazz artists (Phil Woods, Curtis Fuller, Jimmy Heath, Lew Soloff, and others) in addition to his frequent performances with Symphony Nova Scotia on percussion and drum set. He has authored two books, Motivic Drumset Soloing and Jazz Drumming Transitions for Hal Leonard Publishing and is currently working on his third book. His articles have appeared in Modern Drummer and Percussive Notes magazines and his compositions have been published by Per-Mus Publications. Terry uses Vic Firth drumsticks and Crescent cymbals.

SEAN PARSONS – piano 

Sean Parsons is a jazz pianist, composer, arranger, and educator. Originally from Illinois, Sean holds a Bachelor’s degree in music composition from Illinois Wesleyan University, a Master’s degree in jazz studies from DePaul University, and a Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University of Illinois.

Sean is a faculty member at Marshall University in Huntington, WV where he teaches many of the core classes in their jazz studies program.  In addition to his teaching, Sean arranges for and performs with Landau Murphy Jr. (America’s Got Talent Winner, 2011) and is sought after as a performer and clinician nationwide, most recently returning as the director of the North Dakota All-State Jazz Combo.  Some of the renowned musicians Sean has performed with include Clark Terry, James Moody, Jon Faddis, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Randy Brecker and Steve Turre.

Sean’s first album as a leader entitled “Introduction” was released in 2011.

He currently resides in Chesapeake, OH with his wife, twin children, two horses, three dogs, a parrot, and a turtle, most of which are named after jazz musicians. 

Paul Scea – saxophone, woodwinds

Paul Scea is the Director of Jazz Studies at West Virginia University. He is a free-lance jazz, new music, and Rhythm & Blues performer on woodwinds, laptop, and MIDI wind c. He is active as a composer, arranger, clinician and adjudicator. His experience includes performances with hundreds of nationally known jazz and pop artists. His recordings with Space Genetics, Damon Short, and the Steve Grismore/Paul Scea Group are critically acclaimed. Prof. Scea holds degrees from Western Washington University and the University of Iowa and is an Artist-Representative for Conn-Selmer.

Robert Symer – trumpet

Robert Symer recently retired from the Portage Township Schools (IN) after a thirty-six year teaching career.  He was employed as the 6-12 PortageTownship Music Supervisor and taught Advanced Concert Band, Jazz Ensembles and Combos, as well as Music Theory. He established a jazz studies program which placed emphasis on jazz improvisation and is proud to have featured, for more than three decades, numerous "big name" jazz artists in concerts at the school. Additionally, he proudly served for two terms as IAJE Indiana State President.

Mr. Symer is a graduate of Valparaiso University with a BME degree (1975) and a MM in trumpet performance (1984). He studied jazz piano at Valparaiso University, with Billy Foster, for twelve years. His passion is for jazz and he attended Jamey Aebersold's Summer Jazz Workshops for six consecutive years prior to being added to the faculty there, a capacity which has seen him teach and perform at the SJW for circa 15 years.

Robert Symer performs regularly in the Chicago region, as a member of various big bands, and also small group jazz work.  He also was a member of a local latin band for fourteen years, performing in Chicago for functions in Grant Park (Taste of Chicago), and various events at the Petrillo Band Shell. Additional performance highlights include performing for six Chicago Bulls basketball team's private championship parties, as well as three performance appearances at Miss USA pageants. He continues to perform and teach privately. Mr. Symer resides in Valparaiso, Indiana with his wife Jennifer and four year old son Matthew.