Paris Rutherford is a Regents Professor in the Jazz Studies Division of the College of Music at the University of North Texas. Paris teaches instrumental and vocal arranging, vocal jazz styles, and jazz composition. He directs the UNT Jazz Singers, award-winning vocal jazz ensemble heard on eight albums.

Rutherford directs the North Texas Vocal Jazz Summer Workshop, and is an active clinician in vocal jazz. His arrangements are published by Hal Leonard Music Publishing, Inc, UNC Jazz Press, and Sound Music Publications. His instrumental compositions and arrangements have been played and recorded by the One O'Clock Band, the Dallas Jazz Orchestra, the Air Force Reserve Jazz Ensemble, the North Texas Clarinet Consort and Adkins String Ensemble, as well as by the Dallas and Fort Worth Symphony Orchestras. About Paris Rutherford

Paris Rutherford is primary instructor - coordinator for courses in jazz arranging, jazz composition, and vocal jazz at the University of North Texas. In addition to his work with the UNT Jazz Singers, he has over sixty vocal jazz arrangements in publication by Hal Leonard, UNC Jazz Press, and recently by Sound Music Publishing. A sought-after clinician in vocal jazz, Rutherford is a member of the Resource Team for I.A.J.E. He also directs the premier North Texas Summer Vocal Jazz Workshop each June.

Under Rutherford's direction UNT Jazz Singers were declared "best in the nation" for four consecutive years; their recordings (eight CDs) have been listed by DownBeat Magazine as among the top ten college jazz albums.

In earlier years, Rutherford composed and produced advertising music for Pams Inc., TM Productions, the William B Tanner Corporation, the Stephen Arnold Group, as well as for his own production company in London, England. He is also a former member of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra.

A native of Dallas, Rutherford received Bachelor of Music Education and Master of Music in Composition at Southern Methodist University, and formerly taught at the University of Colorado at Denver.