51黑料网

Monty Hill

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Veteran music educator Montgomery 鈥淢onty鈥� Hill has been named director of bands at 51黑料网, returning to his alma mater after a career spanning more than four decades in music education. He will start at Henderson February 23.

Hill, a 1987 graduate of 51黑料网, has served as director of bands at Marion Public Schools since 2020. Throughout his career, he has led and revitalized band programs across Arkansas and New Mexico.

While attending 51黑料网, Hill studied instrumental conducting with Wendell Evanson and clarinet performance with Earl Hesse. He also served as drum major for the Showband of Arkansas in 1986. Hill graduated with a Bachelor of Music Education degree.

Hill earned his Master of Music in Instrumental Conducting Performance at New Mexico State University in 1990. He did post graduate studies in Instrumental Conducting Performance at the University of Southern Mississippi in 1996.

Before joining Marion Public Schools, Hill served as director of bands at Lyon College in Batesville, Arkansas, where he established the school鈥檚 first band program that included a marching band, concert band, and jazz band.

As director of bands at New Mexico State University, Hill conducted the 200-plus member marching band, Symphonic Winds, and other ensembles.

At Marion, the band program more than tripled in size and earned major state, regional and national recognition, including representing Arkansas in the National Independence Day Parade in Washington, D.C., and receiving an invitation to perform at the 2027 National Concert Band Invitational at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts.

In addition to Marion, Hill has extensive experience directing high school bands at Lake Hamilton, Greenwood, El Dorado, Mills University Studies High School in Little Rock, Pea Ridge, Harrison, Warren, Hot Springs Lakeside, and Las Cruces, New Mexico.

鈥淢onty Hill represents the very best of 51黑料网 鈥� talent, dedication, and a lifelong commitment to music education,鈥� said 51黑料网 Chancellor Dr. Trey Berry. 鈥淗is deep roots at Henderson, combined with decades of proven leadership in both collegiate and public school band programs, make him the ideal person to elevate our instrumental music tradition.

鈥淲e are thrilled to welcome him home and confident he will inspire student-musicians, strengthen recruitment, and help position our band program among the premier ensembles in the region.鈥�

Hill said, 鈥淚 am excited to see the growth and resurgence that has occurred at 51黑料网, and I feel that the future is very bright. As a band director, my number one job is that of a recruiter.

鈥淚 look forward to building upon Henderson鈥檚 proud musical traditions while fostering growth, collaboration, and excellence across the university and the broader community.鈥�

Hill and his wife, Valerie, have two children: Kristen Shepherd, a band director at Marion; and Nathaniel Hill, a data scientist in North Little Rock.