Paul S. Jones - conductor, pianist, university professor, church musician, composer, author
Born in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada, Paul Jones’ earliest musical training began at the age of five in Toronto’s Royal Conservatory program and continued with the University of Western Ontario. He holds undergraduate degrees in music (performance and composition) and in Bible/theology, a master’s degree in piano performance from Indiana University, and the Doctor of Music from Indiana University in choral conducting. He is the author of two books and many chapters/articles on church music, has recorded 16 CDs as pianist, organist, composer/arranger, or conductor, and has composed more than 200 works, including 75 hymn tunes.
He previously served as Associate Professor of Choral Music and Interim Director of Graduate Choral Studies at Temple University, where he directed the TU Concert Choir; simultaneously, he was Organist and Music Director at Tenth Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, PA, where he conducted the Tenth Church Choir and Tenth Chamber Players and was Founder-Artistic Director of the Tenth Concert Series. Jones previously served PCUSA, UMC, and Baptist churches. He is also Founder-Director of the Philadelphia Chamber Choir.
By invitation, Jones has presented guest lectures at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, the University of Windsor, Briercrest Bible College, Clearwater Christian College, Faith Baptist Bible College, Trinity Christian College, and at Westminster, Knox, Covenant, Redeemer, Toronto Baptist and Erskine theological seminaries. He has spoken or performed at many churches and conferences across North America since 2000, and has performed internationally in 14 countries.
He studied piano with Menahem Pressler, Edward Auer, Martin Canin, Samuel Hsu and Susan Fullerton; conducting with Robert Porco, Thomas Dunn, Jan Harrington, Mark Laycock and Dale Shepfer; chamber music with Josef Gingold; music history with George Buelow; voice with Alan Bennett and David Mitchell; and composition with Ron Matthews.
Dr. Jones has performed all over the United States with David Kim, concertmaster of The Philadelphia Orchestra and Anne Martindale Williams, principal cellist of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra as well as with longtime duo piano partner, the late Samuel Hsu. He has collaborated with Metropolitan Opera stars Jerome Hines, Sharon Sweet, Stuart Neill, Todd Thomas, John Easterlin, Angela Brown, Ailyn Perez and Sarah Shafer among other musicians of renown. He has collaborated in recital with musicians from The Philadelphia Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, and the orchestras of Atlanta, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Delaware, Florida and St. Louis, among others.
He has performed as a collaborative pianist in recitals at Yale University, Rowan University, Kingswood University, Covenant College, Temple University, Bob Jones University, The Ohio State University, Georgia State University, University of Nevada, Westminster Choir College, University of Kentucky, and Indiana University. Dr. Jones has guest conducted the Mendelssohn Club of Philadelphia, the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, the Highgrove Singers, VOICES Chorale, Bel Canto Singers, and many church choirs.
Dr. Jones’ music students/mentees have attended graduate school at: Oxford, Yale, Curtis, Eastman, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Indiana, McGill, Memorial, Minnesota, North Texas, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Temple, Arizona State, Westminster Choir College, Boston University, U. of Washington, SUNY and CUNY, among others.
In 2002, Dr. Jones founded Paul Jones Music, Inc., a small corporation focused on delivering functional, artistic church music and related resources.