Nevada Mills began his musical career as a trombonist at Chisholm Trail Intermediate School in Fort Worth, Texas and he graduated from Fossil Ridge High School in 2001. He is a proud alumnus of Henderson State University, graduating in 2006 with a Bachelor of Music in Instrumental Music Education, and he also holds a MSE from Arkansas State University.
A veteran public school music educator, Mills recently served as the Director of Bands for the Malvern School District, and has also taught at Ouachita, Watson Chapel, Lakeside, and Mena. He has also taught previously at Ouachita Baptist University and at HSU. In August, Mills will begin his third season as conductor of the Natural State Brass Band, a Little Rock community ensemble made up of professional and semi-professional musicians.
Marching and concert bands under Mills' direction have consistently earned first division ratings and Sweepstakes awards from the Arkansas School Band & Orchestra Association, and many of his students have been selected to participate in All-Region and All-State ensembles.
As a drill designer, Mills has written for numerous schools throughout Arkansas. Writing for junior high, high school, and collegiate bands has afforded him the opportunity to create drills for bands of all sizes and abilities. Noted for his innovative staging techniques, his drill designs allow bands to sound and look their best.
Mills' professional memberships include the Arkansas School Band & Orchestra Association, the College Band Directors National Association, the North American Brass Band Association, Kappa Kappa Psi, and Phi Beta Mu.
Jewelie, Mills' amazing wife of 18 years and fellow HSU alum, is the Assistant Director of the Academic Success Center at OBU. Their daughter, Reagan, is a 9th grade horn player at Arkadelphia High School. The Mills family is also currently home to a foster daughter. The family enjoys taking care of their two dogs, Wagner and Bernoulli, and tolerates the two cats, Percy and Kitty Kitty. The Mills family also enjoys the fruits of their 11 hens.
Having grown up in the city, Mills is now a proud country boy, living on a farm in Curtis, Arkansas. He and his family love to travel and try to attend as many baseball games as they possibly can.