Paul Hostetter

Paul Hostetter holds the Ethel Foley Distinguished Chair in Orchestral Activities at Columbus State University's Schwob School of Music. He serves as Conductor and Artistic Adviser for the Sequitur Ensemble, Principal Conductor of the Flageolet Ensemble, and Artistic Director of Music Under the Dome series at the Coca-Cola Space Science Center. His extensive career includes past appointments as Director of Orchestral Studies at Montclair State University, Music Director of the Colonial Symphony, and Conductor for Disney World's Pixar Live show.

Hostetter's research interests center on contemporary music interpretation and performance practice. He has premiered over eighty works by Pulitzer Prize-winning composers including David Del Tredici and Lewis Spratlan. His scholarly work bridges performance practice with educational innovation, particularly through his hybrid text OnMusic Conducting: Connect to the Sound which integrates technology with conducting pedagogy. His interests span orchestral conducting techniques, new music advocacy, and interdisciplinary collaborations between music and technology.

His recording career shows significant trends toward contemporary American composers, with multiple recordings receiving critical acclaim including Where Crows Gather (named among NY Times top five of 2005) and Harold Meltzer works (top five of 2010). These recordings demonstrate his specialization in 21st-century repertoire while maintaining strong connections to jazz through collaborations with artists like Jim Hall and Pat Metheny.

• Grammy Award (with Orpheus Chamber Orchestra)
• Downbeat Critics Award (2002)
• New York Times Top Five Recording (2005 & 2010)
• BBC Music Magazine Five Stars for Performance
• Gramophone Magazine Best of 2014

Hostetter actively mentors conducting students who now lead major orchestras including the New York Philharmonic, San Diego Symphony, and Paris Opera. His educational grants include programs with Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center Institute, and the Manhattan School of Music. He has presented masterclasses at Juilliard, Peabody Conservatory, and the University of Michigan while serving as a featured speaker alongside notable figures like Steve Wozniak.

He directs multiple ensembles including the Schwob Philharmonic and leads international projects such as government-sponsored exchanges with Chinese orchestras. His Music Under the Dome series represents a significant interdisciplinary collaboration with the Coca-Cola Space Science Center, integrating live music with dome projection technology.