Paul Scanling holds a Bachelor of Music Education Degree from Florida State University where he studied Flute with Suzanne Lord and Melinda Lintern, played tenor saxophone in the award winning FSU Jazz Ensemble, and euphonium in Chiefly Brass, the FSU Basketball Band.  While there he studied conducting with Dr. Patrick Dunnigan and took courses from Dr. Bentley Shellahamer and Dr. Cliff Madsen.  Paul also holds a Master of Music Degree from Georgia State University where he worked under Dr. Robert Ambrose with the Wind Ensemble and founded the Panther Basketball Band.  He has attended conducting classes of Donald Hunsberger, James Jordan and Robert Rumbelow at the Columbus State University Conducting Symposium, Dr. Manuel Alvarez, Dr. Donald Portnoy, Dr. Peter Jaffe, and Paul Vermel at the South Carolina Conductors Institute, and has studied privately with Alexander Micklethwaite, then assistant conductor of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and Dr. Julian Shew, Orchestra Director at Georgia State University. 

Paul spent seven years participating in the Drum and Bugle Corps activity.  He marched for three summers with The Spirit of Atlanta Drum & Bugle Corps and aged out in 1994 with The Santa Clara Vanguard Drum & Bugle Corps playing baritone.  He then spent three summers as an instructor of both marching fundamentals and brass with The Spirit of Atlanta, most recently in 2001.

Paul has taught in the public schools of Florida and Georgia. He is the Music Director and Principal Conductor of The Atlanta Concert Band, a community band founded in 1973.  He also serves as the Orchestra Director for Northside United Methodist Church of Atlanta and was recently appointed as the Director of Bands at Oglethorpe University.  Paul is in demand as a woodwind instructor, arranger and clinician. Paul lives in Marietta with his wife Jenna, their beautiful daughter Sara, and Leo, the World's Greatest Chihuahua.