Paul Mealor

Paul Mealor
Paul Mealor (photograph credit: Jillian Bain Christie)
Born	(1975-11-25) 25 November 1975 (age 36) St Asaph, Denbighshire, North Wales
Residence	Aberdeen, Scotland
Nationality	Welsh
Education	University of York, Royal Danish Academy of Music
Occupation	Composer
Website
paulmealor.com

Professor Paul Mealor BA, PhD, FRSA (born 25 November 1975) is a Welsh composer. Described by the New York Times as "one of the most important composers to have emerged in Welsh choral music since William Mathias",^[1] Mealor’s motets, songs and cycles have been performed, broadcast and recorded by artists around the world. He composed the song "Wherever You Are", based on letters to and from troops serving in Afghanistan, and sung by the military wives choir created by Gareth Malone. In the 2012 Classic FM Hall of Fame, he was voted the 'nation's favorite living composer' and succeeded in achieving the highest placing of any new entry in the history of the Hall of Fame with his ‘'Wherever You Are’’ charting at No 5.

Biography

Born in St Asaph, Denbighshire, North Wales, Mealor studied composition privately with John Pickard and read music at the University of York (1994–2002). He then studied composition with Nicola LeFanu, and in Copenhagen at the Royal Danish Academy of Music with Hans Abrahamsen (1998–99).

Since 2003, he has been teaching at the University of Aberdeen, where he is currently Professor of Composition and has held visiting professorships in composition at institutions in Scandinavia and the United States.^[2] He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and since 2011 has been published by Novello (part of MusicSales). Also in 2011, he signed to Decca Records. His first album for Decca, 'A Tender Light' - a collection of sacred choral anthems - spent six weeks at No 1 of the Classical charts.

On 29 April 2011, Mealor's motet, a setting of Ubi Caritas et Amor, was premièred at the Royal Wedding of HRH Prince William of Wales with Miss Catherine Middleton at Westminster Abbey, by the Choirs of Westminster Abbey and Her Majesty's Chapel Royal conducted by James O'Donnell.^[3][4]

In 2011, Mealor was commissioned to write the music for "Wherever You Are", a song compiled from letters written between the wives and partners of British Army military personnel deployed on active service in the Afghanistan War as part of the BBC Two television series The Choir: Military Wives.^[5] The single, released on 19 December 2011, became the 2011 Christmas number one in the UK Singles Chart and raised money for military charities.^[6]

Selected works

• Wherever You Are (for choir, 2011), is a song compiled from letters written between the wives and partners of British Army military personnel deployed on active service in the Afghanistan War as part of the BBC Two television series The Choir: Military Wives.^[5] The single, released on 19 December 2011, became the 2011 Christmas number one in the UK Singles Chart and raised money for military charities.^[6]
• Ubi Caritas et Amor (for choir – SATB with divisi, 2011) 4 min. Commissioned by Prince William for his 2011 Royal Wedding. A revised setting of Mealor's Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal (2010).^[3][7] Premiered at Westminster Abbey 29 April 2011 by the Choir of Westminster Abbey and The Choir of Her Majesty’s Chapel Royal, St James’s Palace; Conducted by James O’Donnell.^[8]
• Stabat Mater (2009) (New version for Choir, Harp and String Orchestra, 2010) 25 min. Premiered by the St Andrews Chorus and Heisenberg Ensemble; Conducted by Michael Downes, St Andrews, November 2010.
• A Spotless Rose (2010) (SATB with divisi) 4 min. A Christmas Carol, Part of 'Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal'
• Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal (2010) (SATB with divisi) 12 min. Commissioned by the John Armitage Memorial Trust and first performed by the combined choirs of St Salvator's (St Andrews) Chapel Choir, University of Aberdeen Chamber Choir and Edinburgh University Chamber Choir; Conducted by Michael Bawtree in Holy Trinity Church, St Andrews, October 2010.
• She Walks in Beauty (2010) (SATB with divisi) 4 min. A new setting of a text by Lord Byron, written for Octavoce.
• Sanctuary Haunts (2009) (SATB with divisi) 13 min. Written for Polyphony (choir) and Stephen Layton and due for first performance in February 2010.
• Locus Iste (2009) (Part of 'Sanctuary Haunts') (SATB with divisi) 6 min. Written for the Chapel Choir of King's College, Aberdeen and recorded by them on 'Christmas from Aberdeen' (KCL 2009).
• Stabat Mater (2009) (SATB & Piano) 25 min. Recorded on CD, Mealor: Stabat Mater (Campion Cameo Label).
• Between Eternity and Time (2008) (Soprano & Piano). Duration: 8 Mins. Three Settings of Emily Dickinson commissioned by Irene Drummond and Alasdair Beatson (with funds provided by the Scottish Arts Council) and due for first performance at King's College Chapel, Aberdeen, 6 November 2008.
• Rising of The Sixfold Sun (1998–2001) (Full Orchestra). Duration: 15 Minutes First performed by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, St David's Hall, Cardiff, February 2001 conducted by Thomas Dausgaard. Broadcast on BBC Radio 3.
• Liturgy of Fire (2006) (Symphonic Wind Ensemble). 10 Min. Commissioned and first performed by the New York University Wind Ensemble, conducted by Christian Wilhjelm at the Frederick Loewe Theatre, 35 W. 4th Street, New York on 6 December 2006.
• Let Fall the Windows of Mine Eyes (2007–08) (SATB) 7 Min. Commissioned by the Voices of Shakespeare Festival (Brecon) and first performed by Con Anima on 12 July 2008 at the Living Willow Theatre, Brecon [1].
• And Profoundest Midnight Shroud The Serene Lights of Heaven (2002) (16 Part A-Cappella Choir) 8 Min. Text: Rilke & Shelley (English). Commissioned by & First performed by York Vocal Index (directed by John Potter) at the Sir Jack Lyons Hall, York, May 2002. Further performance at Canterbury Cathedral by the Choir of Selwyn College, Cambridge, and during their tour of Finland, 2003.
• The Shadows of Dreams (2007) (Soprano, Cello & Piano) 10 min. First performed by Sarah Leonard (Soprano), Ian Mitchell (Clarinet) and Huw Watkins (Piano), Elphinstone Hall, Aberdeen, 20 April 2008.
• Aurora Lucis Rutilat (2006) (Organ) 5 Min. Composed for Roger Williams (organist) and first performed by him at King's College, Cambridge, February 2007
• De Profundis (2005) (Organ) 12 Min. Commissioned by George Chittenden and first performed by him at St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, 6 August 2005.
• Borderlands (2003–04) (Piano Trio) 8 Min. First performed by the Chagall Trio at the University of Manchester, recorded for commercial CD, 'Borderlands' (Campion Cameo Label)[2]
• Elegy for a Play of Shadows (2001) 7 Min. (Version 1: Cor Anglais Solo with Harp. Version 2: Cor Anglais Solo with Five Instruments). Version 1: First performed by Eamonn O'Dwyer at Sir Jack Lyons Hall, York. Version 2: First performed by the Britten Sinfonia, Canterbury, November 2001 conducted by Nicholas Cleobury.
• Hidden Arias (2001) (Solo Oboe). 5 Min. First performed by Melinda Maxwell at Dartington Hall, August 2001.

Discography

Madrigali: Fire & Roses (Divine Art DDA 25094) due for release late 2011 - Con Anima Chamber Choir directed by Paul Mealor. Includes Mealor's 'Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal' and Morten Lauridsen's 'Madrigali' and 'Chanson Éloignée'.

Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal (Divine Art DDS 29002) digital-only EP, pre-release taken from Madrigali: Fire and Roses - Con Anima Chamber Choir directed by Paul Mealor

Mealor: Stabat Mater (Campion Cameo 2083) – Irene Drummond (soprano); Drew Tulloch (piano) Con Anima Chamber Choir/Paul Mealor. All Mealor CD including: Stabat Mater; Let Fall the Windows of Mine Eyes; Between Eternity and Time; Beata es, Virgo Maria; Lux Benigna; Ave

Borderlands (Campion Cameo 2053) – Chagall Trio. Includes Mealor’s ‘Borderlands’ alongside music by John Pickard, Camden Reeves and Philip Grange

Christmas favourites from Aberdeen (KCL 2009) – Chapel Choir of King’s College, Aberdeen/ Roger Williams (organist). Includes Mealor’s ‘Locus Iste’

A Tender Light (Decca Classics) 14 November 2011 - Tenebrae Choir & The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Nigel Short.

References

External links

• Official website
• University of Aberdeen, Dept. of Music
• Con Anima
• Paul Mealor's YouTube channel