Peter Paulsen

Peter Paulsen is currently Instructor of Double Bass/Jazz Studies at West Chester University and is Assistant Principal Bass with the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra, Principal Bass of the Allentown Symphony Orchestra and has been Principal Bass with the Spoleto Festival Orchestra in Spoleto, Italy. Mr. Paulsen is founder and director of “Turks Head Knot,” a contemporary music ensemble commissioning/premiering new works.He is a member of the International Society of Bassists and an active composer of works for his instrument, receiving three prestigious Pennsylvania Council on the Arts composition grants and a residency at the Banff Centre for the Arts in Alberta, Canada. He has released his first CD as a leader on R&L Records, “Three-Stranded Cord”, for jazz quintet, receiving national airplay and high reports on Jazzweek and CJM(college radio) charts. Peter can be heard on the 2005 Wahbo Records release, “Useful Music” by the Jeff Baumeister Quartet and Mr. Paulsen’s CD release on Wahbo Records, “Tri-cycle”, for jazz trio features compositions that won him a third PCA composition grant. He has recently been the recipient of the PEW Fellowship in Music Composition, resulting in his third CD release, Peter Paulsen “Change of Scenery” Sextet, on Wahbo Records. Upon receiving an invitation from the Robert & Lina Thyll-Durr Foundation to participate in a two week composition residency at Casa Zia Lina on the Isle of Elba, Italy, Mr. Paulsen began work on a new piece resulting in a new song cycle, “The Wild Iris,” a setting of three texts by Louise Gluck. His most recent recording on SquarePegWorks, “Goes Without Saying” Peter Paulsen Quintet, has been released on CD and is gaining considerable airplay/print review attention.