Billy Orton - Minister of Music and Worship
Music & Worship Ministry
Email Billy Orton

A native of Greenville, Ky., Billy graduated with honors from Western Kentucky University (Bachelor in Music Education) and The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (Master of Church Music), where he was vice-president of the graduating class. Prior to answering the call to Huntsville First Baptist, he served for ten years as Minister of Music at Columbia Baptist Church in Falls Church, VA, and earlier in churches in Bowling Green, Ky. and Winston-Salem, NC.

Rev. Orton has been a guest teacher, conductor and performer in various states throughout our nation, specializing in instrumental leadership and choral conducting of all age groups. He has had numerous published articles in the area of church music ministry and administration, and has organized and led music mission endeavors both at home and abroad. He has performed and taught in Russia, Zimbabwe and Germany, including a leadership role at the Baptists In Worship international conference in Berlin. He served as the Guest Conductor for the Kentucky Baptist All-State Youth Orchestra in 2002 and has led church music and worship events in much of the Southeast as well as in Ohio, Illinois and Pennsylvania.

Billy recently accepted the post of Music Director/Conductor for the Huntsville Community Chorus, the first performing arts organization in the North Alabama region and one which now encompasses a symphonic chorus, chamber choirs and ensembles, a children's chorus and musical theatre. In 2001 he was a founding member of one of the newest performing groups in the city, The Huntsville Brass Band, and has served the group as conductor, a member of the euphonium section, and presently the bass trombonist. Other community involvement includes serving as Conductor for the ballet "Noah!" with Pointe Station, Inc., Conductor for Ars Nova productions of Gounod's opera "Romeo and Juliet" and the musical "My Fair Lady", and as Chorus Master for the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra, preparing groups for HSO presentations of Orff's "Carmina Burana", Ravel's "Daphnes and Chloe", and Mozart's "Requiem."

He has served since 2003 on the Executive Council of the Baptist Church Music Conference, and was elected to national office of that organization in May of 2004 as the Vice-President of the Local Church Division.

His wife, Jane, is a social worker (MSSW) and therapist with degrees from Western Kentucky University and the University of Louisville. Billy and Jane have two children, John (1982) and Mary (1984). In addition to loving his work at First Baptist, Billy enjoys basketball, reading, walking, and being with children all ages.