Paul D. Head

Biography

Dr. Paul D. Head serves as the distinguished professor of choral studies at the University of Delaware. Choirs under his leadership have been recognized throughout the United States and Europe, appearing six times on national and regional conferences of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) while winning awards at international competitions in Spain, Hungary, Germany, the UK, New Zealand and the prestigious Grand Prix Award in the Estonian Choral Competition. Under his direction, the Delaware Choral Scholars have been celebrated as divisional first-place winners at the Llangollen Eisteddfod Competition in Wales, before garnering four gold medals at the World Choir Games in Auckland, New Zealand, where the choir was deemed by the Interkultur Choral Council as the #1 choir in the world. Most recently, the Delaware Choral Scholars were awarded two top prizes in Marktoberdorf, Germany, followed by a sweeping win at the Tolosa (Spain) Choral Competition, resulting in an invitation to proceed to the European Grand Prix in Slovenia next spring.

He has conducted honor choirs in 27 of the United States as well as several choirs in Great Britain and Europe. Having served as President of ACDA-Eastern Division, he frequently appears as an adjudicator and clinician, with most recent engagements in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, South Africa and Spain.

Also highly regarded as a pedagogue and author of several books, Dr. Head’s most notable contribution is his role as co-author and co-editor of the Oxford Handbook of Choral Pedagogy, in addition to contributions to numerous GIA publications on music education and rehearsal technique.

Under Dr. Head’s leadership, the Delaware Choral Scholars have enjoyed residencies with several organizations, including the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, the Delaware Symphony Orchestra and Manhattan Productions in New York City. For six years, they served as the core ensemble for the Delaware Choral Conducting Symposium in France — an intensive program for aspiring choral directors from all over the United States.

Prior to coming to Delaware, Dr. Head taught in the California public schools, where his choirs received numerous awards, culminating in being named state champions in the Golden State Choral Competition — a prestigious festival for the finest school choirs in the state.

He is the proud father of three grown children and two grandchildren, and resides in rural Pennsylvania with his wife and lovable dog named Charley.