1. Stephen Paulus was an American Grammy Award winning composer, best known for his operas and choral music.
11 Facts About Stephen Paulus
1. 2.
Stephen Paulus's style is essentially tonal, and melodic and romantic by nature.
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Stephen Paulus was commissioned by such notable organizations as the Minnesota Opera, the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, the Saint Louis Chamber Chorus, the American Composers Orchestra, the Dale Warland Singers, the Harvard Glee Club and the New York Choral Society.
4.
Stephen Paulus co-founded the American Composers Forum in 1973, the largest composer service organization in the US, and served as the Symphony and Concert Representative on the ASCAP Board of Directors from 1990 until his death in 2014.
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Stephen Paulus was born in Summit, New Jersey, but his family moved to Minnesota when he was two.
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Stephen Paulus then attended the University of Minnesota, where he studied with Paul Fetler and eventually earned a PhD in composition in 1978.
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Stephen Paulus died from medical complications on October 19,2014, aged 65.
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Stephen Paulus's output was eclectic and varied, incorporating works for chorus, orchestra, solo singer, and various combinations thereof.
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Stephen Paulus has been commissioned by the Cleveland Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Minnesota Orchestra, Tucson Symphony Orchestra, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, and many others.
10.
Stephen Paulus has written over 150 works for chorus ranging from his Holocaust oratorio, To Be Certain of the Dawn, recorded by the Minnesota Orchestra on the BIS label, to the poignant anthem, "Pilgrims' Hymn," sung at the funerals of US Presidents Ronald Reagan and Gerald Ford and a setting of the Stabat Mater for the Saint Louis Chamber Chorus.
11.
Stephen Paulus was well known for his operas, which are often described as "dramatic and lyrical" and are notable for "lush" orchestra writing.