Paul English Music
Composer. Paul English Music, a jazz artist from Houston, Texas
A prolific and versatile composer, Paul has written music for radio, film and television, chamber and symphony orchestras, as well as for jazz and theater art groups. He has collaborated with poets, dancers, photographers, painters and film makers, and he has created music for the literary works of Gerard Manley Hopkins, Tennessee Williams, Pablo Neruda, Goethe, Rumi, Shakespeare, Edgar Allan Poe, Emily Dickinson, Lord Byron and Voltaire, among others. His works have been performed by the Houston Symphony, Galveston Symphony, Houston Civic Symphony and the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra. His catalog also includes a large number of jazz and popular songs, scores for three musicals, and complete libraries for his performing groups, PICO (Paul’s Improvising Chamber Orchestra), PIVO (Paul’s Improvising Vocal Orchestra), and The Paul English Jazz Quartet.

His sacred music includes scores for several jazz masses, hymn arrangements and original settings of sacred text.

For Voice

“Music of the Sphere: On the Poems of Jalalu’ddin Rumi” (2014), settings of six poems by Rumi, for soprano, flute and piano. Commissioned by The Texas Music Teachers Association.

"I Am a Memorial” (2013), dedicated to Naomi Warren and all survivors of the Holocaust, for mixed and chamber orchestra. Text by Erin Balfour. Commissioned by the Houston Grand Opera.

"Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep” (2013), for mixed choir, piano and cello. Commissioned by First Presbyterian Church, Kingwood, Texas.

“Yo Soy el Remo en la Barca de Mis Hijos” (2012), for mezzo soprano, cello and piano. Text by Hugo Diaz. Commissioned by Houston Artists Respond, an outreach program of the Houston Grand Opera.

“Oda al Cuadro” (2012), for mezzo soprano and piano. Text by Ema Ferreyra. Commissioned by Houston Artists Respond, an outreach program of the Houston Grand Opera. Score Oda al Cuadro

“I’ll Come Back as a Horse” (2009), for soprano, flute and piano. Commissioned by Trio Angelico and DIVAS World Productions.

“Musaic: Nine Miniatures for the Ancient Muses” (2007), chamber music for mezzo soprano, flute and piano. Texts by Shakespeare, Rumi, Emily Dickinson, Voltaire, Edgar Allan Poe, Lord Byron, Goethe, Charlie Chaplin and Martha Graham. Commissioned by Trio Angelico and Villa Maria of Houston.

“The Meditations” (2002), for soprano, clarinet/bass clarinet, string quartet, percussion and sequenced synthesizers. Text from The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius. Commissioned by Richard Nunemaker.

Wrestling With My God (1997), sacred suite for SATB soloists, chorus, organ and chamber orchestra. Text by Gerard Manley Hopkins. Commissioned by The Palmer Society for the Appreciation of Liturgy and Music (PSALM).

"Ad Mortem" (1990), for mezzo soprano, bass clarinet, computer-assisted synthesizers, speaker, dancer and film. Film and text by Johannes Birringer.

"Hopkins Lives" (1989), for soprano, baritone and chamber ensemble with synthesizers. Text by Gerard Manley Hopkins. Commissioned by Carl and Elizabeth Sutton and the International Hopkins Association.

"Songs of Flight" (1987) for soprano and chamber ensemble. Text by C. E. Cooper.

Instrumental Chamber

“Discovering Sønderho”, (2013) for wind quintet. Commissioned by WindSync Wind Quintet.

“Good-bye” (2008) arrangement of the Benny Goodman favorite for clarinet and string quartet Commissioned by Richard Nunemaker.

“Able to Bark” (2006), suite for clarinet, violin and piano. Commissioned by Richard Nunemaker.

“Paradise Lost" (2003), sonata for violin and piano.

“Unconditional Surrender” (1997). For various instrumentations.

“Her Name Shall Remain Unspoken” (1997), for French horn and piano. Commissioned by William VerMeulen

"English Suite” (1994), for French horn and piano. Commissioned by William VerMeulen

“…and a thousand years is like a day” (1993), for oboe, cello, guitar, piano and percussion

“The Saxophone” (1991), for alto saxophone and narrator. Text by William Bolitho Ryall. Commissioned by Richard Nunemaker

"Images de Sons et Luminaire" (1989), improvisational piece for chamber ensemble and painter. Visual art by Frank Larkey

“Canon in D Minor: Homage to the Master” (1986), canon for instruments or voices

“Deliberation of the Innocent Man” (1976), duet for various instruments.