Gary W. Hill is Professor of Music and Director of Bands Emeritus at Arizona State University, where he taught from 1999-2019. Prior to Hill's appointment at ASU, he was Director of Bands at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music (1986-99), at East Texas State University (now Texas A&M-Commerce, 1982-86) and Associate Director of Bands at the University of Colorado, Boulder (1980-82). He also served as Music Director for the Kansas City Youth Wind Ensemble and for newEar, a chamber ensemble devoted to contemporary music. Hill began his teaching career in Michigan, where he was Director of Bands for the Traverse City (1977-80) and West Bloomfield (1974-77) public schools.

High school, university, and professional ensembles under Hill's direction have given performances for the National Band Association, the Music Educators National Conference (NAfME), the College Band Directors National Association, the American Bandmasters Association, the International Horn Symposium, the National Flute Association, at many state conventions, and throughout North America, Europe, and Asia.  Performances conducted by him have consistently drawn praise from composers, performing musicians, and critics alike for their insightful, inspired, and cohesive realizations, and for their imaginative programming.

During Professor Hill’s 39 years as a collegiate conducting teacher, he taught scores of undergraduate and graduate conducting students and served as the primary mentor for 53 wind band conducting majors, 8 who are serving as conductors of US Armed Forces’ ensembles and other professional groups, and 42 who won university teaching positions.

Gary W. Hill is one of the most sought after guest conductors and clinicians in the instrumental music education field. As a conductor, appearances in more than a dozen countries and throughout the United States have included performances with myriad high school honor bands, numerous college and university wind bands and orchestras, many professional ensembles, at the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic, and at World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles' conferences As a clinician, Hill has presented hundreds of workshops on conducting and rehearsal technique for music teachers of all levels and has worked with thousands of bands and orchestras and their teachers. Professor Hill is currently a Conn-Selmer Educational Clinician.

Hill remains passionately involved with research concerning the exploration of biochemical reactions spawned by the musical process, the art and craft of conducting, and the past, present, and future of instrumental music in schools. He is the author or co-author of numerous articles published in music trade journals (CBDNA Journal, WASBE Journal, Bands of America, National Association of Schools of Music, AMEA Journal, etc.) and in scientific journals, proceedings, and books, including: the Acoustical Society of America; The Oxford Handbook of Making Music and Leisure; and in the Journal Hormones and Behavior.

Professor Hill is a member of many professional organizations, including the American Bandmasters Association and the College Band Directors National Association, for which he hosted the “Fiftieth Anniversary National Conference” (1991), co-hosted the 2019 biennial national conference, as well as the joint conferences of the North Central and Southwestern Divisions in conjunction with The Society for American Music (1998), served as president of the Southwestern Division (1989-91), and as national president (2003-05).

Susan L. Smith has taught general, choral, and instrumental music at the elementary through collegiate level in Florida, Virginia and Alabama and has served as an author, clinician, conductor, and adjudicator across the United States. She is currently an Assistant Professor of Music Education at Troy University, serving as the faculty advisor for the Troy NAfME Collegiate Chapter and conductor the Troy Symphonic Band.  She is the Southern Division President Elect of the National Association of Music Education, Chair of the NAfME Collegiate Advisory Council and Past President of the Alabama Music Educators Association. Susan serves as an Educational Consultant for Music for All. She is responsible for the Chamber Music portion of the Music for All National Concert Band Festival and is a Co-Executive Producer for the Mind the Gap series of webinars and podcasts developed to support the young and developing music educator during the pandemic. She is currently pursuing her PhD in Music Education at Auburn University and holds degrees from James Madison University and Troy State University.

Susan’s previous appointment was as Director of Bands at the Saint James School in Montgomery AL. Mrs. Smith was responsible for teaching the Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced Bands as well as Guitar, Jazz Band, and Music Technology. The Saint James Band consistently received Superior ratings in Concert, Jazz and Marching Band events including the Alabama Music Performance Assessment, Smokey Mountain Music Festival and Bands of America Super Regionals and Grand National Championships.  She served as the Alabama Bandmasters Association District VI Vice Chairman for 1 year and Chairman for 2 years.

Smith has presented clinics at many state conventions including AMEA, TMEA, FMEA, IMEA, VMEA, GMEA and National and Regional NAfME conferences. Smith has presented at the Midwest Clinic three times and performed as a member of the Alabama Winds, an adult community band comprised of Alabama music educators. The Alabama Winds performed most recently at the Western International Band Clinic in Seattle, Washington and Susan has recently been named Assistant Conductor of the Alabama Winds.

Her professional affiliations include Phi Beta Mu, National Association for Music Education, Alabama Music Educators Association, Alabama Bandmasters Association, Sigma Alpha Iota, Phi Beta Kappa and the National Band Association. She is also an honorary member of Tau Beta Sigma. Smith is in demand as a clinician, conductor and adjudicator throughout the country. She has evaluated and conducted University Honor Bands and District Honor Bands in Australia, Alabama, Virginia, Georgia, Florida and Kentucky and West Virginia.