Stephen Paulus

Short bio Stephen Paulus

Birthday: 1949 in Summit, NJ

Died: 2014 in St. Paul, MN

Active: 1980s - 2010s

Genre: Classical,Avant-Garde

Period: 20th Century, Contemporary

Full biography Stephen Paulus

Stephen Paulus (August 24 , 1949 - October 19, 2014) was an American classical composer renowned for his prolific work in opera, orchestra, chorus, chamber ensemble, solo voice, and concert band. He was born in Summit, New Jersey and later moved to Minnesota where he lived for most of his life.

Paulus had a successful career in music with over 600 works to his name. Notably, he won a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Classical Composition in 2015 for his "Prayers and Remembrances" composition.

One of the unique aspects of Paulus' music was its accessibility while exploring new ideas. His music was known for its lyricism and ability to delight audiences. Paulus made a living solely by writing classical music , which was quite remarkable given the challenging nature of the industry. He was one of the most prominent and prolific composers of his time and will always be remembered for his contributions to the classical music realm.

During his career , Paulus received commissions from various organizations to compose pieces for them. For example, in 2001, he received a commission from the Dale Warland Singers to write "The Road Home". He was incredibly passionate about his work and would spend every morning writing music.

Stephen Paulus was a beloved member of the music community in Minnesota and beyond. His legacy lives on through his extensive body of work, and he will always be remembered as a talented and prolific composer.

Compositions featuring Stephen Paulus

#	Name	Duration	Genre	Year
1	When Music Sounds, for double chorus	4:37 min	Choral	2012
2	Prayers and Remembrances, for chorus & orchestra	36:15 min	Choral	2011
3	Little Elegy, for chorus	3:37 min	Choral	2010
4	The Incomprehensible, for chorus, oboe & harp	5:33 min	Choral	2009
5	Nunc dimittis, for double chorus	4:04 min	Choral	2008
6	Blithely breezing along, for organ	6:26 min	Keyboard	2008
7	Petite Suite, for flute, viola & harp	11:13 min	Chamber Music	2007
8	A Heartland Portrait, songs (5) for voice & piano	15:58 min	Vocal Music	2006
9	The Day Is Done, for chorus	4:20 min	Choral	2006
10	New every morning is the love, for chorus & organ	6:39 min	Choral	2005
11	Arise, My Love, for double chorus	6:43 min	Choral	2004
12	Grand Concerto, for organ & orchestra	27:26 min	Concerto	2004
13	Splendid Jewel, for chorus	3:35 min	Choral	2003
14	Concerto for 2 trumpets & band	23:26 min	Concerto	2003
15	Shall I Compare Thee?, for chorus	5:00 min	Choral	2002
16	King David's Dance, for organ	7:04 min	Keyboard	2002
17	Prairie Songs, for chorus		Choral	2001
18	The Old Church, for chorus (Prairie Songs No. 6)	3:50 min	Choral	2001
19	Gabriel's Message, for chorus & harp	4:40 min	Choral	2000
20	Mass for a Sacred Place, for chorus & orchestra	29:13 min	Choral	200?
21	Nativity Carols (3), for chorus	11:27 min	Choral	1999
22	Art Suite, for cello & piano	14:24 min	Chamber Music	1999
23	Wishes and Candles, carol	3:02 min	Choral	1998
24	I Cannot Dance, O Lord, for treble chorus & orchestra (from "Songs of Meditation")	3:45 min	Choral	1998
25	God Be With Us, for chorus, piano & percussion	9:32 min	Choral	1997
26	The Three Hermits, opera	60:38 min	Opera	1997
27	Pilgrim Jesus, for chorus	4:50 min	Choral	1996
28	Paean for Organ Duet	7:37 min	Keyboard	1996
29	Three Temperaments for organ	19:09 min	Keyboard	1996
30	Concerto for string quartet & orchestra ("Three Places of Enlightenment")	25:20 min	Concerto	1995
31	Meditations of Li Po	13:35 min	Miscellaneous (Classical)	1994
32	The Triumph of the Saint, for organ, 4 hands	21:22 min	Keyboard	1994
33	Air on Seurat, for cello & piano	6:45 min	Chamber Music	1992
34	Songs of Love and Longing, for voice & piano	10:38 min	Vocal Music	1991
35	In the Moon of Wintertime, carol for chorus	4:07 min	Choral	1990
36	Evensong	5:35 min	Vocal Music	1990
37	Fantasy in Three Parts, for flute & guitar	16:39 min	Chamber Music	1989
38	Concertante for orchestra	10:39 min	Orchestral	1989
39	Symphony for strings	21:38 min	Symphony	1989
40	Concerto for violin & orchestra	33:25 min	Concerto	1987
41	Echoes Between the Silent Peaks, for chorus & ensmble	26:19 min	Choral	1984
42	Berceuse, for harp	5:45 min	Chamber Music	1983
43	Now is the Gentle Season, for choir	3:39 min	Choral	1978
44	Dramatic Suite, for flute, violin, viola, cello & piano	24:15 min	Chamber Music	1977
45	Symphony in 3 Movements	29:29 min	Symphony	-
46	The Age of American Passions, for orchestra	25:33 min	Orchestral	-
47	The Dance, for voice & piano	2:02 min	Vocal Music	-
48	American Vignettes, for cello & piano	17:51 min	Chamber Music	-
49	Stabat Mater, for chorus	10:39 min	Choral	-
50	Artsongs for voice & piano	26:11 min	Vocal Music	-
51	The Five Senses - Windows of the Mind, for narrator & orchestra	33:03 min	Orchestral	-
52	The Holly and the Ivy, for soprano, baritone, chorus, handbells & orchestra	4:05 min	Choral	-
53	A Dream of Time, for chorus	13:10 min	Choral	-
54	All My Pretty Ones for voice & piano	24:50 min	Vocal Music	-
55	The Lotus Lovers, for chorus	11:05 min	Choral	-
56	Explosions, for piano	3:57 min	Keyboard	-
57	A Savior from on High	3:05 min	Miscellaneous (Classical)	-
58	We Three Kings, for soloists, chorus, oboe & harp	4:37 min	Choral	-
59	The Road Home, for women's chorus	3:41 min	Choral	-
60	The Ship Carol (from Jesu Carols), for chorus	2:16 min	Choral	-
61	We Sing Thy Birth, for chorus, brass & organ	10:06 min	Choral	-
62	Voices, for tenor, mezzo-soprano, chorus & orchestra	34:38 min	Choral	-
63	Voices from the Gallery		Choral	-
64	To Be Certain of the Dawn, for chorus & orchestra	59:03 min	Choral	-
65	Triptych, for organ	14:40 min	Keyboard	-
66	Courtship Songs, for flute, oboe, cello & piano	16:23 min	Chamber Music	-
67	Five for the Flowers Near the River	13:13 min	Miscellaneous (Classical)	-
68	Erotic Spirits, for voice & piano		Vocal Music	-
69	Hear my words, for chorus	2:12 min	Choral	-
70	How Far is It to Bethlehem, for chorus	3:52 min	Choral	-
71	Hymn for America, for double mixed chorus	3:12 min	Choral	-
72	Hymn to the Eternal Flame, for chorus	2:22 min	Choral	-
73	I carry your heart with me, for chorus	5:32 min	Choral	-
74	I Have Called You By Name, for chorus	6:46 min	Choral	-
75	Jesu Carols, for chorus	12:07 min	Choral	-
76	Life Motifs, for piano trio	13:37 min	Chamber Music	-
77	Day Break, for children's choir, percussion & piano	2:17 min	Choral	-
78	Loving Kindness, for chorus	4:06 min	Choral	-
79	Songs Eternity, for chorus	9:37 min	Choral	-
80	Music of the Night, for piano trio	16:07 min	Chamber Music	-
81	Partita Appassionata, for violin & piano	22:05 min	Chamber Music	-
82	Carol of the Hill, for chorus & organ	3:03 min	Choral	-
83	Pilgrims' Hymn, for chorus	3:26 min	Choral	-
84	Canticum Novum, for chorus	26:22 min	Choral	-
85	Bittersuite, Four Poems of Ogden Nash for baritone & piano	11:13 min	Vocal Music	-
86	Preludes (4) on Playthings of the Wind, for chorus	10:56 min	Choral	-
87	Preludes for piano, Book 1		Keyboard	-
88	Seven for the Flowers Near the River, for viola & piano	20:48 min	Chamber Music	-
89	Sing Creation's Music On, for chorus & piano	2:41 min	Choral	-
90	Sing hallelu	3:02 min	Choral	-
91	Snow Had Fallen/Christ Was Born	3:16 min	Miscellaneous (Classical)	-

Albums featuring Stephen Paulus

#	Name album	Year	Music label
1	Kinnara Ensemble, J.D. Burnett, Brahms, Poulenc, Ginastera, Lauridsen, Lassus, Paulus, Johnson, Wilby, Erb – Provenance(CD, Album)	2017	Affetto Recordings
2	Stephen Paulus - True Concord Voices & Orchestra, Eric Holtan – Far In The Heavens (Choral Music Of Stephen Paulus)(CD, )	2015	Reference Recordings
3	Stephen Paulus, Nathan J. Laube, Nashville Symphony, Giancarlo Guerrero – Three Places Of Enlightenment, Veil Of Tears & Grand Concerto For Organ And Orchestra(CD, Album)	2014	Naxos
4	René Clausen (2), Stephen Paulus, The Choir Of Royal Holloway, Rupert Gough – Calm On The Listening Ear Of Night(CD, Stereo)	2014	Hyperion
5	Eric Whitacre, Stephen Paulus, David N. Childs, Arvo Pärt, John Tavener, Abbie Betinis, Morten Lauridsen, Frank Ticheli – Into The Night - Contemporary Choral Music(CD, )	2013	Naxos
6	Montage Music Society, Matthew Harris (7), Stephen Paulus, Libby Larsen, Andrew List – Starry Night Project: Music Based on Visual Art(CD, )	2009	MSR Classics
7	Stephen Paulus, Minnesota Orchestra, Osmo Vänskä – To Be Certain Of The Dawn(CD, Album)	2009	BIS
8	Stephen Paulus - Boston Modern Orchestra Project, Gil Rose – The Five Senses(CD, Album)	2005	Arsis Audio
9	Stephen Paulus, Cathedral Choral Society, J. Reilly Lewis, Kendra Colton – Mass For A Sacred Place(CD, Album)	2005	Arsis Audio
10	A Chamber Fantasy(CD, Album, Stereo)	2000	Innova Recordings
11	New York Concert Singers Conductor Judith Clurman, Robert Beaser, Aaron Jay Kernis, Stephen Paulus, Simon Sargon, John Schlenck, Ellen Taaffe Zwilich, Judith Shatin – Divine Grandeur(CD, Album)	1997	New World Records
12	Paulus, Thomas Lancaster – The Three Hermits(CD, Stereo)	1997	D'Note Classics
13	Stephen Paulus, Peter Schickele, ProMusica Chamber Orchestra – Voices From The Gallery / Thurber's Dogs(CD, )	1996	D'Note Classics
14	Libby Larsen, Stephen Paulus, Oregon Repertory Singers, Gilbert Seeley – Mass For The Earth (Missa Gaia / Echoes Between The Silent Peaks)(CD, )	1995	Koch International Classics
15	Stephen Paulus, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Yoel Levi, Robert Shaw, William Preucil – Works By Stephen Paulus(LP, Stereo)	1990	New World Records
16	Libby Larsen / Stephen Paulus - Minnesota Orchestra, Sir Neville Marriner – Symphony: Water Music / Symphony In 3 Movements (Soliloquy)	1987	Elektra Nonesuch
17	Stephen Paulus, Plymouth Festival Chorus & Orchestra, Philip Brunelle – So Hallow'd Is The Time	1985	Pro-Arte Digital
18	Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Yoel Levi, Robert Shaw, Stephen Paulus, William Preucil – Works By Stephen Paulus(CD, )	-	New World Records
19	Stephen Paulus, The Dale Warland Singers, Dale Warland – Carols For Christmas(Cassette, )	-	Ten Thousand Lakes