Sean Paul Mills

"Sean is a conductor whose artistic bond to the music is clearly delivered to both the orchestra and the soloist. His concise, articulate beat and his remarkable delivery of expression made playing a concerto a delightful experience for the orchestra, the audience, and for me as a soloist!"

- - Horatio Edens

Cello soloist

"Sean is one of those rare entrepreneurial spirits that combines refined and diverse musical ability with unerring business acumen.  It is clear that his heart is focused on bettering the communities in which he lives -- the evidence of which abounds in northern Arizona's cultural landscape.  I am privileged to call Sean a colleague and close friend, and wish him a long life filled with continuing successes!"

- - Harold Weller

Founding Music Director, Las Vegas Philharmonic
 

"Sean Paul Mills is not a tepid conductor. Animated on the stand, he exudes enthusiasm and he smiles.

He's a guy who obviously loves what he's doing. Mills brought out the best in the 70-member

Willamette Valley Community Orchestra during its "Made in America" concert . . .

The conductor and orchestra provided 90 minutes of sunshine

on an otherwise dark and rainy Oregon day."

 - - Graham Kislingbury

Albany Democrat-Herald / Corvallis Gazette Times

Sean Paul Mills is a native of Eureka, California and 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 Degree in Violoncello Performance and Pedagogy). He studied cello with Horatio Edens, Dr. Robert Hladky, Terry King, and Charles Wendt, and conducting with Dr. Phillip Kates, Dr. Madeline Schatz, Marsha Mabrey, Dr. Royce Saltzman, and James Dixon. Sean has also participated in workshops and festivals with Helmuth Rilling, Krzysztof Penderecki, Dr. Weston Noble, Gunther Schuller, and Dr. Donald Neuen.

Sean has performed as cellist and conductor in California, Oregon, Arizona, Nevada, 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 Manzanita Piano Trio, the Oregon Coast Music Festival Orchestra, and other ensembles. Sean has also served on the faculties of Grinnell College, Kirkwood Community College, Coconino Community College, and Oregon State University, and is a Founder of the Flagstaff Light Opera Company (FLOC) and has also served as Music Director & Conductor for the FLOC, the Coconino Community Orchestra, and the Coconino Chamber Orchestra. He also served as the Director of Music at The Church of the Red Rocks, Music Director of the Verde Valley Sinfonietta, and as the Artistic Director & Conductor of the Red Rock Community Chorale.

He is also an active member of the League of American Orchestras, the Conductors Guild, the Oregon Education Association, and the Oregon Cello Society. Sean is the Founding Music Director & Conductor of the Willamette Valley Community Orchestra, Interim Conductor of the Corvallis Youth Symphony, a member of the music faculty at Chemeketa Community College, the Choir Director at First Christian Church of Corvallis, Chief Instructor of Central Valley Shotokan Karate, and a private studio teacher of cello. He resides in Albany, Oregon with his wife, Susana (Associate Professor of Spanish , Linguistics & Diversity Advancement at Oregon State University & Chair of the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures), son Daniel, and Bernese Mountain Dog, Rio.

Rio

(April 9, 2001 - December 18, 2009)

Good bye, dear friend.