“Dr. Paul” McGahie served as the Minister of Traditional Music and Worship at First Methodist Church of Pascagoula, Mississippi, for 17 years directing the five-octave Voices In Bronze handbell choir  and the four octave PraiseRing handbell quartet.  During his tenure at First Methodist Paul sponsored two local handbell festivals, purchased the fifth octave of both handbells and handchimes, brought the Voices In Bronze to Area 6 festivals, and led the premiers of many new handbell pieces which he had composed. Having formerly served as the Mississippi State Chair in Area 6 of Handbell Musicians of America while serving at First Methodist, he currently serves as the Alabama State Chair in his retirement at home outside of Troy, Alabama.

Dr. McGahie has served with distinction as a conductor in a variety of church, college, community, and professional choral programs.  His credentials include a DMA in Choral Conducting from the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and a BM in Church Music from Westminster Choir College where he was introduced to handbells by Donald Allured, the “Father of American Handbell Music.”

As an active composer and arranger of handbell music Paul has a growing body of handbell compositions published by From The Top Music, Jubilate Music, Handbell Musicians of America, and ArrangeMe.com under his pen-name “Paul Douglas”. He has been commissioned by several churches to compose anthems for their handbell choirs.

Dr. McGahie is available as a composer, festival conductor and workshop clinician.

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