WILLAMETTE VALLEY COMMUNITY ORCHESTRA
MUSIC DIRECTOR AND CONDUCTOR
Sean Paul Mills, D.M.A.
A native of
Eureka, California, Dr. Sean Paul Mills has performed as conductor or cellist in California, Oregon,
Arizona, Iowa, Illinois, Switzerland, France, Germany, and Austria as a member of
the Humboldt Symphony, the Humboldt Chamber Players, the Oregon Mozart
Players, the Oregon Bach Festival Orchestra, the Quad City Symphony, the
Oregon Coast Music Festival Orchestra, and
other ensembles. He studied conducting with Dr. Phillip Kates, Dr.
Madeline Schatz, Marsha Mabrey, Dr. Royce Saltzman, and James Dixon, and
cello with Horatio Edens, Dr. J. Robert Hladky, Terry King, and Charles
Wendt.
Sean has served on the faculties of Grinnell College, Kirkwood Community College, and Coconino Community College. He is a Founder of the Flagstaff Light Opera Company, and has served as Conductor of the Flagstaff Light Opera Company Orchestra, Coconino Community Orchestra, Coconino Chamber Orchestra, and Northern Arizona Chamber Orchestra as well as served as the Director of Music at The Church of the Red Rocks, as the Artistic Director & Conductor of the Red Rock Community Chorale, and as Music Director of the Verde Valley Sinfonietta. He is an active member of the League of American Orchestras (formerly the American Symphony Orchestra League), the Conductors Guild, and the Oregon Cello Society.
He attended Humboldt State University, the University of Oregon (Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees), and the University of Iowa (Doctor of Musical Arts in Violoncello Performance and Pedagogy). In addition to serving as Music Director & Conductor of the Willamette Valley Community Orchestra, Sean is the Music Director & Artistic Coordinator of the Oregon State University Opera Workshop, Choir Director at the First Christian Church of Corvallis, teaches studio cello both privately and at the Conservatory for Music Education, plays cello in the Corvallis Symphony Orchestra, and freelances around the region as a cellist. He lives in Albany with his wife, Susana (Associate Professor of Spanish & Diversity Advancement at Oregon State University), son, Daniel, and Bernese Mountain Dog, Rio.
Please visit his personal website at www.seanpaulmills.com for more information about our remarkable conductor.
