Dr. Sean Grier
Program Director
Sean Grier, PhD., joined the Kidznotes team as Program Director in the Summer of 2026. A Durham-based arts educator and administrator, Dr. Grier brings over seventeen years of experience working in music education at the community, P-12, and higher-education levels.
Dr. Grier’s career in music education is rooted in the Durham Public Schools where he taught middle and high school music for almost a decade at The Durham School of the Arts (DSA). While at DSA, he sought to create music-learning environments that nurtured, celebrated, and empowered every student and that reflected the many backgrounds woven within the diverse fabric of the Durham community. This love for—and commitment to—the students and families of Durham serve as the foundation for Sean’s work at Kidznotes.
Most recently, Dr. Grier taught graduate-level music education coursework at The University of North Carolina Greensboro and undergraduate courses in music education at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he also mentored student teachers and conducted the Treble Voice Glee Club. From 2019-2023, he served as the Director of Curriculum and Program Evaluation for the El-Sistema based Crescendo Detroit/University of Michigan Pathways Partnership, as well as a Teaching and Learning Coordinator for the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre, and Dance. In addition to his work as an arts educator and administrator, Dr. Grier maintains an ongoing presence as a choral clinician and music education scholar. His research, focused on justice-based pedagogies and human connection in music education, has been presented at the state and national level and published in a variety of peer-reviewed scholarly journals.
Dr. Grier received his PhD in Music Education and Master of Music from The University of Michigan—Ann Arbor. He holds undergraduate degrees in Vocal Performance and Music Education from Michigan State University.
Dr. Grier is thrilled to return to Durham as the Program Director of Kidznotes. He will be guided by the belief that music education should be accessible to all students and rooted in diverse and meaningful musical experiences, human connection, and a sense of belonging. Sean looks forward to engaging with students, families, colleagues, and community members while continuing Kidznotes’ legacy as a transformative music education space where Durham students can grow as musicians—and as people.