Paul Manz, is the Music Director of the North Carolina Chamber Orchestra. Paul is a native of Phoenix, AZ, moving to Prescott in 1965. He received his Bachelor of Music Education and Masters in Orchestral Conducting from Northern Arizona University (NAU). While at NAU, Paul was inducted into the honor society of Phi Kappa Phi Awards. He taught instrumental music in the Prescott schools for 30 years and taught music at Yavapai College and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
Paul has served as principal horn in the Flagstaff Symphony and as assistant principal horn in the Flagstaff Festival of the Arts Orchestra. He has also performed in the pit of a number of professional operas and musicals as well as conducting “Mame” and “The Man of La Mancha”. Paul has shared the stage with Toni Tennille, David Cripps, James D’Leon, Mike Vax, Gary Grafman, Jerry Goldsmith, Roberta Peters, William Warfield, Isola Jones, Don Edwards, Eric Ruske, Anastasia Kitruk, Harold Weller, Jeffrey Schindler and others. Additionally, he has served as the Arizona All State French Horn adjudicator. For many years, Paul served as the principal hornist in the Prescott Chamber Orchestra. He also has extensive experience with both brass and woodwind quintets. Paul is currently the principal French hornist in the Danville Symphony Orchestra in Virginia.
Working side by side with Peter Perret, Paul has served as the guest conductor for the New Horizons Band Blast, drawing participants from five eastern states. Paul is a member of the International Conductor’s Guild and is a past member of its board of directors. As an alumnus of Northern Arizona University, he has received the Distinguished Alumni Award and the Jeff Ferris Volunteer Award.
Paul Manz is the founding conductor of the Prescott POPS Symphony and served as its music director from its beginning in 1992 until his retirement in 2015. During this time the ensemble grew from being a community orchestra to a semi-professional regional symphony. Paul is very proud to be married to Sheryl Manz, Vice President of Operations for Davidsons Inc. Sheryl is also a violinist and the president of the North Carolina Chamber Orchestra.