Paul Davis's Profile
| Name | Paul Davis |
| About Me | Paul G. Davis comes to the podium with an extensive professional background that spans both the classical and jazz idioms in conducting, performance and teaching. In constant demand as a conductor and clinician, his musical activities have taken him throughout the United States, Canada and Europe, including numerous Regional and All-State concerts and highly acclaimed concerts with the Grand Orchestre d’Harmonie des Guides of Brussels, Belgium and the Pleven Philharmonic Orchestra of Bulgaria. Dr. Davis holds the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Conducting from The University of Texas at Austin, and currently resides in St. Louis where he is Associate Professor of Music and Director of Orchestral Studies at Webster University. His recent work in Missouri includes serving as a Visiting Conductor for the Young People’s Symphony Orchestra at the Community Music School and as a cover conductor for the Saint Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra, along with appearances as guest conductor for St. Louis All-Suburban Orchestra, Metro 8 Region Orchestra, and Rockwood District Honor Band. Prior to his appointment at Webster, Dr. Davis served as a member of the conducting faculties at the University of Alabama School of Music, the Petrie School of Music at Converse College in South Carolina, Kennesaw State University in Atlanta, Georgia and at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee. He has conducted celebrated performances of the Huxford Symphony Orchestra, OperAlaBama, the Alabama Wind Ensemble and the Alabama Chamber Winds, as well as being Founder and Music Director of the Rhodes Chamber Players in Memphis. As a supporter of new music, he led a commissioning project to produce Donald Grantham’s “From ‘An Alabama Songbook,” and recently collaborated with Ballet Memphis in a full stage production of Michael Whalen’s “Shadows of October.” In 2013, he collaborated with Webster University composer Kim Portnoy and conducted the Webster University Chamber Orchestra in the World Premier of “Jack Ruby Talks Business with the New Girl: 1963,” a setting of a poem by former Missouri Poet Laureate David Clewell. Dr. Davis has served as conductor for professional orchestras in St. Cloud, Minnesota, and Spartanburg, South Carolina. He is also the founder and Music Director of the Carolina Jazz Orchestra, and served five seasons as Music Director of the Spokane Jazz Orchestra in Washington. His diverse experience as a performer ranges from appearances with the Memphis Symphony to the Amy Grant NBC Christmas telecast and includes the Spokane Symphony Orchestra and the Montana Summer Symphony. In his capacity as conductor and performer, he has worked with such artists as Awadagin Pratt, Sandra Wolf-Meei Cameron, Byron Stripling, Kevin Mahogany, Bob Mintzer of the Yellowjackets, Doc Severinsen, Maynard Ferguson and Ernie Watts. Other conducting activities include work with Fred Mills of the Canadian Brass, the Dallas Wind Symphony, the Empire Brass and the Monarch Brass. |