Our Conductor

Dr. Paul Hill is the founding conductor for Marietta Pops Orchestra and has been conducting orchestras and choirs as a church and community musician for almost 40 years. He received his Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) degree from Shenandoah Conservatory (of Shenandoah University) in Winchester, Virginia. His dissertation, which explored the music literacy of adults, eventually became the basis for his curriculum entitled The Basic Music Reading Skills Course and is available for purchase by contacting Dr. Hill. Prior to receiving his doctorate, Dr. Hill received his Master of Church Music (MCM) degree from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky and his Bachelor of Music Education (BME) from Samford University.

Throughout his educational experiences he has had numerous conducting experiences from serving as assistant conductor for his conducting professors as well as being awarded a conducting position leading an 80-voice auditioned college choir for a year while still a student. Dr. Hill has published articles in a variety of church music and choral music related journals, including the American Choral Directors Association “Choral Journal” in 2009. He serves as conductor, clinician, adjudicator, and instructor at various conferences, festivals, online courses and universities. Among his various European tours as a professional musician, Dr. Hill served as the conductor of the Florida Baptist Brass Ensemble, featured at the International Church Music Festival in Bern, Switzerland. Earlier in his career, and while a college student, Dr. Hill played trumpet in touring brass ensembles while also serving as an assistant conductor during a nine-country European tour by the Baptist Festival Singers.

For 45 years Dr. Hill was minister/director of music in churches in Alabama, Kentucky, Florida and Georgia. In each of those churches he produced well-rounded music programs with musicians of all ages. In most of those churches he established orchestras that continue today, including the First Orchestra at the church from where he recently retired after 25 years as Minister of Worship Arts at First Baptist Church Marietta. He has recorded numerous professional recordings of his choirs and orchestras as well as serving as studio conductor for other recordings. Dr. Hill can be contacted at info@mariettapopsorchestra.org.