Paul Nauert

Associate Professor of Music

University of California,
Santa Cruz

dogsbark@cats.ucsc.edu

Core Curriculum Placement - SAMPLE Theory Exam

Biography

Paul Nauert began activities in composition and piano performance around the age of 10, and received national awards in composition from MTNA and BMI during his pre-college career. He holds degrees from the Eastman School of Music, where he was awarded the McCurdy Prize in composition, and Columbia University, where he earned his Ph.D. in music theory in 1997 with the assistance of a Mellon Foundation Fellowship.  His early interest in interdisciplinary pursuits led to an additional undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering (University of Rochester), with an emphasis on audio processing, during his Eastman years.

In 1996, Nauert joined the music faculty of the University of California, Santa Cruz, where he teaches music theory, composition, and history. He has published articles on a variety of topics including computer models of musical rhythm, pitch structure in posttonal music, and the theories of Joseph Schillinger and their influence on the composer George Gershwin. He has also published software applications for computer-assisted composition, and his own compositions have been performed at diverse venues in the U.S. and abroad.

Articles in Scholarly Journals

  • "The Progression Vector: Modelling Aspects of Posttonal Harmony," to appear in Journal of Music Theory.
  • "Field Notes: A Study of Fixed Pitch Formations," Perspectives of New Music 41.1 (forthcoming): 6-65.
  • "Two Kinds of Time in the Presto of Beethoven's Op. 130," Journal of the McGill Music Graduate Society 4 (1995): 65-80.
  • "Theory and Practice in Porgy and Bess: The Gershwin-Schillinger Connection," Musical Quarterly 78.1 (1994): 9-33.
  • "A Theory of Complexity to Constrain the Approximation of Arbitrary Sequences of Timepoints," Perspectives of New Music 32.2 (1994): 226-263.

Essays in Books

  • "Notes on A Collection of Caprices," in The OM Composer's Book, ed. Carlos Agon Amado and Charlotte Truchet, Paris, forthcoming.

Software

  • OMTimePack, library of functions for the computer-assisted composition and programming environment OpenMusic (Paris: IRCAM Software Forum, 2002). A newly enhanced version is in progress.
  • OMPitchField, library of functions for the computer-assisted composition and programming environment OpenMusic (Paris: IRCAM Software Forum, 2002). A newly enhanced version is in progress.

Recent Compositions

The following works are published by the composer and available from him directly. The listed performances are selective rather than complete.

  • Chapter and Verse -- Alto saxophone, piano -- 2003 -- Approx. 9:15 -- William Trimble, alto saxophone; Michael McGushin, piano: Pacific Rim Festival, UCSC, April 11, 2003.
  • A Collection of Caprices -- Solo piano -- 2002 -- Approx. 12:00 -- Marilyn Nonken, piano: UCSC, October 2, 2002; San Francisco State University, October 3, 2002; University of Washington, Seattle, October 4, 2002; SUNY New Paltz, October 8, 2002; Sound Field Festival, Chicago, IL, October 15, 2002; Illinois State University, Normal, IL, October 16, 2002; Resonances Festival, Paris, October 16, 2003.
  • B-sides -- Computer-generated sound -- 2001 -- Approx. 11:30 -- with dance choreographed and performed by Plan B improvisational dance/theater company: UCSC, April 24, 2002.
  • Three Baroque Miniatures -- Guitar, harpsichord -- 2001 -- Approx. 8:45 -- Mesut Özgen, guitar; Linda Burman-Hall, harpsichord: UCSC, April 18, 2001.
  • R.H. -- solo piano -- 2000 -- Approx. 2:45 -- Karen Larvick, piano: University of Missouri, Columbia, March 17, 2001.
  • Flight Path and Soaring -- Flute, piano -- 2000 -- Approx. 12:15 -- Leta Miller, flute; Paul Nauert, piano: UCSC, April 26, 2000. Laurie Seibold, flute; Hans Boepple, piano: Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA, March 1, 2003.
  • Chemistry -- Violin, marimba -- 1999 -- Approx. 11:00 -- Paterson Duo: Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, April 18, 2001.
  • Subtext -- Solo guitar -- 1999 -- Approx. 7:00 -- David Tanenbaum, guitar: UCSC, April 25, 1999; International Guitar Festival, Stuttgart, Germany, May 12, 1999.
  • Spirit -- Alto flute, marimba -- 1998 -- Approx. 9:45 -- Leta Miller, alto flute; William Winant, marimba: UCSC, April 28, 1999. Kesatuan (Karen DeWig, Ingrid Gordon): Chicago, October 13, 1999; Lake Forest University, Lake Forest, IL, October 14, 1999. Alexa Still, alto flute; Ingrid Gordon, marimba: 21st Annual New Music and Art Festival, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, October 27, 2000.
  • Close the Gates of Day -- Violin, cello, piano -- 1998 -- Approx. 12:30 -- Peabody Trio (Violaine Melançon, Thomas Kraines, Seth Knopp): UCSC, April 8, 1998. Ian Swensen, violin; Jean-Michel Fonteneau, cello; Gwendolyn Mok, piano: UCSC, January 24, 2002.
  • Arabesque -- Solo flute -- 1995 -- Approx. 6:00 -- Tara O--Connor, flute: Miller Theater, New York City, 1996. Allison Potter, flute: Walden School Concerts, Dublin, New Hampshire, July 7, 1996. Leta Miller, flute: UCSC, April 9, 1997.