About Me

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 - with the cognate area of Orchestral Conducting). 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 Paul has also participated in workshops and festivals with Helmuth Rilling, Krzysztof Penderecki, Dr. Weston Noble, Gunther Schuller, and Dr. Donald Neuen.

Sean Paul has performed as cellist and conductor in California, Oregon, Arizona, Nevada, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, 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. He has also served on the faculties of Grinnell College, Kirkwood Community College, Coconino Community College, Chemeketa Community College, Oregon State University, and Ball State University. A Founder of the Flagstaff Light Opera Company (FLOC)[Flagstaff Musical Theatre], he has also served as Music Director & Conductor for the FLOC, the Coconino Community Orchestra, and the Coconino Chamber Orchestra, as the Director of Music at The Church of the Red Rocks, Music Director of the Verde Valley Sinfonietta, as the Artistic Director & Conductor of the Red Rock Community Chorale & Chamber Orchestra, and as Artistic Director & Conductor of the Salem Philharmonia Orchestra and Willamette Valley Symphony. Sean Paul is also an active member of the American String Teachers Association, League of American Orchestras, Conductors Guild, Illinois Council of Orchestras, and College Orchestra Directors Association.

Currently, he serves as the Music Director & Conductor of the Kankakee Valley Symphony Orchestra (www.kvso.org) and as Director of Orchestral Activities at the University of St. Francis (www.stfrancis.edu) / Artistic Director & Conductor of the Joliet Symphony Orchestra (www.jolietsymphonyorchestra.org).

When not pursuing musical activities, Sean Paul trains in and teaches the traditional Japanese Karate-do styles of Shotokan and Shindo Jinen Ryu. He has served as the Chief Instructor & Technical Director for the Northern Arizona Karate Association (Japan Karatedo Ryobukai Flagstaff), Central Valley Shotokan Karate-do, Shin Gi Tai Shotokan Karate-do, and The Art of Karate (www.theartofkarate.com), maintaining active memberships in the Amateur Athletic Union National Karate Program, United States Traditional Karate Association, and the Japan Karatedo ShotoJukuKai (Shotokan Karatedo of Japan Federation).

Sean Paul resides in Aurora, Illinois with his wife, Susana Rivera-Mills (President, Aurora University), and their English Cream Golden Retriever, Scout.

Quick Facts

Doctor of Musical Arts in Cello Performance & Pedagogy: University of Iowa (1992)

[cognate area: Orchestral Conducting]

Master of Music in Performance: University of Oregon (1989)

Bachelor of Music in Performance: University of Oregon (1988)

Music Director & Conductor, Kankakee Valley Symphony Orchestra
Director of Orchestral Activities, University of St. Francis
Artistic Director & Conductor, Joliet Symphony Orchestra
Adult Mental Health First Aid Provider
Academic Life Coach (Coach Training EDU)

Founding Artistic Director & Conductor, Willamette Valley Symphony
Founding Artistic Director & Conductor, Salem Philharmonia Orchestra
Music Director & Conductor, Verde Valley Sinfonietta
Music Director & Conductor, Coconino Community Orchestra
Music Director, The Church of the Red Rocks
Music Director, The Red Rock Community Chorale & Chamber Orchestra
Founding Music Director & Conductor, Flagstaff Light Opera Company