Seelan Manickam began his musical studies on the trumpet at the age of ten. Seelan received his Bachelors of Music at the University of Victoria where he studied with Louis Ranger. He has also finished his Graduate work in trumpet performance at The Boston Conservatory where he studied with Steven Emery. Additional studies have been with Jens Lindemann of the Canadian Brass and Charles Schlueter, principal trumpet of the Boston Symphony.

As a top prizewinner of several solo competitions, Seelan has appeared as a frequent soloist with the Boston Chamber Orchestra, Cambridge Choral Society, South Coast Community Chorale and most recently The University of Massachusetts Orchestra.

Other professional experience has included playing principal trumpet with The Indian Hill Symphony, New Hampshire Symphony, Salisbury Symphony, Thayer Symphony, New Bedford Symphony, Taipei Sinfionetta and Cape Ann Symphony. A founding member of the award winning Bala Brass Quintet, Seelan has toured the globe appearing in Japan, Canada and Thailand . His keen interest in contemporary music, has led Seelan to be instrumental in the commissioning and performance of numerous chamber and solo works for brass. He has been a featured artist at several conferences including the International Trumpet Guild Conference and the New York Brass Conference. His debut solo CD will be released this spring on the Beauport Classics Label and will contain several new works for trumpet.

An advocate of music education, Seelan has given master classes and clinics at the nation’s top conservatories and schools, including the University of Connecticut, SUNY-Purchase, Shenandoah Conservatory, Wisconsin Lutheran College, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Bridgewater State College, Salem State College and Phillips Academy.

In addition to performing with Bala, Seelan is the Music Director at St. John’s Preparatory School and is currently on faculty at The University of Massachusetts, Boston. Seelan is a Sonaré Performing Artist and performs on the Sonaré Bb and C trumpets.