BILLY ORTON, Artistic Director

Serving HCCA since 2002, Billy Orton has brought great energy and creativity to our organization’s presence and work throughout North Alabama.  He conducts the auditioned 160-voice Symphonic Chorus and the highly select 30-voice HCC Chamber Chorale, which he founded in 2004.   Under Billy’s direction “TheChorus” has grown in numbers as well as artistic impact upon the region, often collaborating with area groups of various genres.   Concerts by TheChorus are characterized by wide-ranging musical styles and a growing audience base.

Billy has been the Minister of Music and Worship at Huntsville’s First Baptist Church since 1998, where he administers a growing program of music ministries with more than 20 choirs, instrumental groups and ensembles.  In addition to his role as a worship leader, he also conducts three choirs (youth, adult and senior adult) and the orchestra of the church.  The special presentations by FBC’s Music Ministry such as the Living Christmas Tree and the Spring/Easter concerts are enjoyed by thousands in the region.

Rev. Orton is quite active as a musician in the city and region through his roles with HCCA and FBC, Bass Trombonist of the Huntsville Brass Band, and Chorus Master for the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra.   He has been conductor for numerous performances of North Alabama arts organizations, including a ballet with Pointe Station, opera and stage musicals with Ars Nova School of the Arts, and feature concerts with the Huntsville Brass Band.  Billy has prepared and conducted church and community music groups in performances of such major works as Messiah, Die Schopfung, Elijah, Brahms’ A German Requiem and Vaughan Williams’ Hodie.  Artists under his direction have premiered new choral and orchestral works, have been featured on national television and radio networks (NPR, NET, and ACTS) and have produced professional recordings.  His versatility is further seen in the fact that in May, 2009 the Sanctuary Choir of FBC presented the Brahms Requiem and in May, 2010 presented a program entitled Bluegrass and Stained Glass.

In his role as Chorus Master, Mr. Orton has prepared groups for conductors Carlos Miguel Prieto, James Paul and Joseph Lee and highly acclaimed performances of  Carmina Burana, Mozart’s Requiem, Ravel’s Daphnes and Chloe, Mahler’s Symphony #3, Debussy’s Trois Nocturnes, Holst’s The Planets, Mozart’s Great Mass in C minor, Prokofiev’s Alexander Nevsky, and, of course, Beethoven’s Symphony #9.

Billy is frequently requested for various leadership roles in church music circles, including conductor for Baptist All State groups, teacher for retreats/clinics/camps, and brass performer.  He has served as elected Vice President for the Baptist Church Music Conference and in various capacities for several state conventions.  Prior to Huntsville FBC, he was Minister of Music and Worship at Columbia Baptist Church in Falls Church, VA, at FBC Bowling Green, KY, and at Northwest Baptist Church in Winston Salem, NC.  He is married to his childhood sweetheart, Jane, who is the Clinical Director of the National Children’s Advocacy Center in Huntsville.

Eric Wilson has served as an accompanist for various student and faculty recitals for almost twenty years.  He has also served as a staff accompanist for the American Horn Competition and the regional National Association of Teachers of Singing competition.  He received his Bachelor's degree in piano performance from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa in 1997, where he studied with Amanda Penick.  Eric also served for five years as the accompanist for the Alabama Boychoir, under the direction of Karen Nicolosi.  In addition to touring with the Alabama Boychoir in Canada and Italy, Eric has toured with the University of Alabama Jazz Ensemble, performing with them at the 1998 Notre Dame Jazz Festival.

Eric has won several awards and accolades in music.  In 1997, Eric received both the Wilbur Rowand Prize and the Outstanding Senior Award from the University of Alabama School of Music.  He finished 4th in 1994 and 3rd in 1996 in the state Federation of Music Clubs collegiate level piano competition, and won the Birmingham Music Club collegiate level piano competition in 1996.    Eric was honored as the Alabama Outstanding State Accompanist for SATB choir in 1992.  He was also inducted into University of Alabama chapter of Pi Kappa Lambda (music honor society) in 1995.

Eric has been serving as the Director of Music Ministry at Epworth United Methodist Church since January of 2008.  His previous church service includes work at Christ Episcopal Church in Tuscaloosa (tenor section leader), at Alberta United Methodist Church in Tuscaloosa (church pianist), and at First Baptist Church of Enterprise, Alabama (church pianist).  He studied conducting in college under Dr. Sandra Willetts, and regularly sang with her premier choir (the University Singers). 

Eric received his Doctorate in Engineering Science and Mechanics from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa in 2001.  He works full time as a systems analyst for Delta Research.  He is married to his lovely wife of fourteen years, Nicky, who is an active pianist, accompanist, and teacher in her own right.  They have one son, Samuel.

Shelli Rimes is the director for Youth Chorale, formerly called  HC3Sr. Shelli is also the choral director at Sparkman High School where she directs 4 choirs and is the musical director for the Sparkman Theatre Company.  She graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in vocal music education from the University of Alabama in Huntsville in 2002.

Mrs. Rimes is a founding and current member of the Madison County Choral Director’s Association where she has served as treasurer, vice-president and president.  She is also a member of the Alabama Vocal Association as well as the Music Educators National Conference and the American Choral Director's Association.  She has been listed in Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers in 2005, 2006 and 2007.