Paul W. Whear

Paul W. Whear (Auburn, Indiana, 13 November 1925) is an American composer, music educator, double-bassist, and conductor.


Life
Whear studied at Marquette University—The Catholic Jesuit University in Milwaukee and DePauw University School of Music in Greencastle, Indiana, where he received the Bachelor of Music and Master of Music, and at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, where he studied for a Ph.D.

He taught at Mount Union College in Alliance, Ohio, as well as at Doane College in Crete, Nebraska. Later he became a Professor at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia, where he also was Composer in Residence and conductor of the Huntington Symphony Orchestra and the Huntington Chamber Orchestra. Later he retired as emeritus composer and conductor and received an honorary doctorate at Marquette University. He also taught composition courses at the National Music Camp in Interlochen, Michigan.

He appeared as a guest conductor in the United States, Canada, Japan, Netherlands and the United Kingdom. As a composer he won many prizes and distinctions, as well as a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and the ASCAP Award. His works have been performed by leading orchestras, such as the London Symphony Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, Cleveland Philharmonic, Indianapolis Symphony, Rochester Civic Orchestra, Omaha Symphony, Lincoln Symphony, Charleston Symphony, the U.S. Navy Band and the Band of the Coldstream Guards, London.


Compositions

Orchestra
A Celtic Set, for string orchestra
A Shakespeare Prelude, for orchestra
An Appalachian Folk Tale, for spreker en orchestra
Catharsis Suite, for orchestra
Concertino, for string orchestra
Overture
Dirge
Toccata
Lancaster Overture
Mallard Cove—Prelude and Rondo, for string orchestra
Olympiad, for string orchestra
Overture for strings, for string orchestra
Pastorale Lament, for horn and string orchestra
Prelude to the Ten Commandments, for orchestra
Preludio, for string orchestra
Psalms of Celebration - Part I, for mixed choir, orchestra and brass
Psalms of Celebration - Part II, for mixed choir, orchestra and brass
Psalms of Celebration - Part III, for mixed choir, orchestra nd brass
Reflections, Scherzo for Strings, for string orchestra
Symphony No. 2, for orchestra
Symphony No. 3, for orchestra
The Chief Justice John Marshall, A Musical Epic for speaker and orchestra
Waltz, for strings

Band
1962 Jedermann, overture
1964 Contrapunctus
1964 Czech Suite
Romantic Song
Rippling Waters
Festival Dance
1964 Kensington Overture
1966 Antietam
1968 Bellerophon, overture
1968 Land of Lincoln, concert march
1968 Decade Overture
1969 Wycliffe Variations
1970 Elsinore Overture
1971 Stonehenge Symphony - Symphony no. 1
Solstice
Evocations
Sacrifice
1972 Of This Time
1973 Lexington Overture
1979 Celebration XXV
1981 The Enterprise Overture
1982 Symphony No. 4
Overture
Melodrama
Finale
A Lyric Suite
Prelude
Clog Dance
Pastorale
Procession
An Appalachian set
Canada—A Folksong Set for Band
Catskill Legend
Defenders of the Blue
Down to the Sea in Ships
Eternal Father
Introduction and Invention
Modal Miniatures
Proscenium Overture
Quiet Music, based on Hans Leo Hassler’s Passion Chorale
Sonata for Band
Yorktown, 1781

Stage Works
The Door, opera

Choir
Old Gold—a Celebration, for mixed choir
Crystals, for three-part women’s choir, three flutes, harp and percussion

Vocal Music
Sounds of Celebration, for baritone solo, mixed choir and band
The Seasons, for baritone solo, mixed choir and orchestra
Sonnets from Shakespeare, for baritone solo and chamber orchestra

Chamber Music
1975 Trio Variations, for cello, clarinet and piano
A Separate Piece, for bassoon solo
Five Haiku, for flute (or piccolo)
March of the Viols, for contrabass and piano
Prelude and Toccata, for trombone quartet
Sonata "The Briefcase", for viola and piano
Sonata, for cello
String Quartet No. 3 "The Phoenix"
Suite, for violin and cello
Canon
March
Ostinato Aria
Toccata
The Viol Habit, for contrabass and piano
Three Chorales, for brass quartet or brass ensemble
Lass't uns erfreuen by Johann Christian Bach
Chorale for Brasses by Carl Ludwig
Freuet Euch Ihr Christen by Johann Sebastian Bach

Organ
Music For Service With "Truro" (together with David Craighead)