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, Coconino Community College, and Oregon State University. 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, Choir Director at First Christian Church of Corvallis, and as Music Director of the Verde Valley Sinfonietta. He is an active member of the League of American Orchestras, 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 Symphony, Sean is the Music Director & Conductor of the Salem Philharmonic, a member of the music faculty at Chemeketa Community College, teaches studio cello privately, and guest conducts throughout the region. He lives in Albany with his wife, Susana (Associate Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Full Professor of Spanish & Diversity Advancement at Oregon State University), son, Daniel, and Labrador Retriever Puppy, Cisco.

Please visit his personal website at www.seanpaulmills.com for more information about our remarkable conductor.