How UNCSA graduate Seville Jenkins found his passion in military bands

Growing up in Hampton, South Carolina, Seville Jenkins (M.M. Music Performance '12) began playing music at the age of 12, drawn by the camaraderie and friendships found in middle school band class. “I didn’t get serious about it until ninth grade,” he admits. That year, he progressed from next-to-last chair in the South Carolina Region Band to fourth chair at All-State by tenth grade. This rapid growth fueled his passion and led him to the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts & Humanities for his final two years of high school. 

Jenkins earned his bachelor’s degree in trombone performance from Florida State University in 2010 while a member of the South Carolina Army National Guard’s 246th Army Band – a position he’d held since 2008. He then continued on to UNCSA as a graduate student in the School of Music. Jenkins recalls one of his greatest experiences there was being awarded the Nutcracker Orchestra Scholarship (now the Nutcracker Foundation Scholarship).

“I performed in 12 productions each year, playing bass trombone in my first year and principal trombone the second,” he says. Those 24 performances, along with mentorship from faculty member John Ilika, the Principal Trombone of the North Carolina Symphony, left a lasting impact. 

Jenkins continued to build his career after UNCSA, joining the Massachusetts Army National Guard’s 215th Army Band while pursuing post-graduate studies at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston from 2012 to 2015. Although he left the military in 2015 to explore civilian life, he rejoined in 2017 as an active-duty recruiting liaison for music with the 246th Army National Guard Band. 

It was around this time that a question from an instructor in Boston sparked a key realization: while many musicians dream of playing for professional symphonies, Jenkins found his purpose in military bands. “I was getting paid to play and building a life for my family,” he reflects. 

In 2018, Jenkins enlisted in the U.S. Navy Fleet Bands beginning his first assignment with the SEVENTH Fleet Band in Yokosuka, Japan. There, he supported the Indo-Pacific region, where Navy Fleet Bands promote U.S. presence in areas where American military might otherwise be unseen. “We go where ships don’t go” is the motto for the Navy’s nine Fleet Bands, which perform nearly 6,000 times a year to connect with communities worldwide. musical performances annually at home and abroad. Their music brings life to countless ceremonies, parades and more. 

Jenkins later served with the Navy Band Southeast in Jacksonville, Florida, and has since taken on the role of Audition Coordinator for U.S. Navy Fleet Bands. Now, he’s preparing for a new chapter, transitioning to become a Navy Supply Corps Officer. In this role, he will manage logistics, inventory, and finances – skills he says he began developing in his work with the Navy Fleet Bands. “It’s a different realm, but it’s exciting to bring the same passion and discipline into this new role,” he says. 

Blossom where you’re planted and stay in the moment. Hard work will always surpass talent.

Seville Jenkins (M.M. '12)

When asked if music will remain a part of his life, Jenkins says, “Music is my passion and is how I’ve been able to give back to humanity for over 20 years. I’m in this position in life simply because I picked up a trombone in 6th grade.” While classically trained, Jenkins’s repertoire spans genres – brass band, wind ensemble, rock, chamber music and even background vocals — reflecting his versatility and lifelong love for music.  

His advice to current UNCSA students is simple yet profound: “Another person’s success or failure has nothing to do with you. Blossom where you’re planted and stay in the moment. Hard work will always surpass talent.”

By Rebecca Burkeen

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