Bio
Paul Dooley is one of the most prolific and performed composers in America today. His path has embraced not only his Western Classical heritage, but also a cross-cultural range of contemporary music, dance, art, technology and the interactions between the human and natural worlds. Dooley is a recipient of both the Sousa/ABA/Ostwald Award and the William D. Revelli Prize.
Paul Dooley is one of the most prolific and performed composers in America today. His path has embraced not only his Western Classical heritage, but also a cross-cultural range of contemporary music, dance, art, technology and the interactions between the human and natural worlds. Dooley is a recipient of both the Sousa/ABA/Ostwald Award and the William D. Revelli Prize.
In 2013 Dooley joined the music faculty at the University of Michigan. He created and directs the Performing Arts Technology department’s annual Computer Music Showcase. He also co-directed the Midwest Composers Symposium and was coordinator of the “ONCE. MORE.” festival, a celebration of the 50 year anniversary of the ONCE Festival of Contemporary Music.
Recent works include Northern Nights (2017), an EDM-inspired electronic percussion concerto for Lisa Pegher and the Lansing Symphony, Mondrian’s Studio (2019), for horn and wind ensemble, for Adam Unsworth and the University of Michigan Symphony Band, Manifestos (2019) for the universities of the Big 12 Conference, and The Conductor’s Spellbook (2016), an educational, interactive, and entertaining work for young audiences, which has received more than 100 performances since its 2016 premiere, originally commissioned by the Naples Philharmonic.
Dooley is a frequent guest of professional orchestras, university and high school wind ensembles and festivals in the United States and around the world. His music has been performed by, among others, the Nashville Symphony, Detroit Symphony, Singapore Symphony, “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band, the United States Navy Band, the United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own.”
Born in Santa Rosa, California in 1983, Dooley began his musical life listening to Beethoven, Bruce Hornsby, Nirvana and Rush. At the age of 13, Dooley began a long mentorship with singer, songwriter, improvisor and gifted counselor Gary “Doc” Collins. In high school Dooley also studied composition with Charles Sepos, before earning bachelor degrees in mathematics and music composition at the University of Southern California (2002-2007) with Frank Ticheli and Stephen Hartke, and a master and doctorate degree at the University of Michigan (2007-2013) with Michael Daugherty, Bright Sheng and Evan Chambers.
Dooley’s music is published by Paul Dooley Music.
Education
BA (mathematics), BM (composition), University of Southern California
MM, DMA (composition), University of Michigan
Selected Musical Scores
Northern Nights (PDF) (2017) an electronic dance music concerto for percussion and orchestra. Paul Dooley Music.
Masks and Machines (PDF) (2015) for wind ensemble (2016 Sousa/ABA/Ostwald Award & 2015 William D. Revelli Prize). Paul Dooley Music.
Gradus (PDF) (2009) for solo cello (Broadcast Music Incorporated Composer Award). Paul Dooley Music.
Dissertations on Paul Dooley’s Music
“A Critical Analysis of Paul Dooley’s Manifestos for Wind Ensemble,” Eddie Airheart (Texas Christian University, 2019)
“A Conductor’s Guide and Analysis of Selected Works by Paul Dooley,” Jason Gardner (University of Illinois, 2019)
“Paul Dooley’s Masks and Machines: A formal analysis and instructional guide,” Kevin Callihan (University of Kentucky, 2018)