News

JOHN WINS A 2022 AMERICAN PRIZE TRIFECTA!
“It was a very good year!”

2022 American Prize Honored Artist: Composer

The inscription on the certificate reads: “Composer John Muehleisen has been selected as an Honored Artist of The American Prize, 2022. Honored Artists are individuals (or ensembles) who have proven themselves to be of ‘sustained excellence’ over a number of seasons as laureates of The American Prize competitions. Presented by The American Prize National Nonprofit Competitions in the Performing Arts, the award consists of a beautifully framed citation recognizing John Muehleisen’s contributions to the art.”

Co-Winner of 2022 American Prize, Social Justice Related Division for Professional Composers
for Consolation: Requiem for Parkland (below)

2022 American Prize 2nd Place
for Larger Choral Works, Professional Division
also for Consolation: Requiem for Parkland (below)

I’m grateful to the American Prize and to their Chief Judge, David Katz, for these awards, the mission of which, as David states, is “to recognize and reward excellence in the arts wherever in America it is found.” And as the inscription reads on every American Prize certificate, “May this honor inspire you to continue to strive for the highest levels of quality in all your musical endeavors….” And it certainly does!

Featured Works

“Make ’em Laugh!”
“We don’t laugh because we are happy,
we’re happy because we laugh.” William James
“Laughter is the best medicine.” Anonymous

Looking for upbeat, humorous choral works that will put a smile on your audience’s (and singers’) faces? Please consider one of the works below. (NOTE: Individual movements from all multi-movement works can be purchased separately and programmed individually or in combination.)

Eat Your Vegetables! – Set One
(Joanne Gunnerson)
SATB choir and Bb clarinet

1. Bounty (Zucchini)
2. Aversion to Carrots
3. RAH! (Rutabagas)

Eat Your Vegetables! – Set Two
(Joanne Gunnerson)
SATB choir, trumpet, and percussion

1. Aubergine (Eggplants)
2. Brussels Sprouts
3. March of the Stalks (Celery)

Humpty Dumpty’s Recitation
from Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass
SA voices, 2 Speakers, and Piano
(Version for TB voices coming soon)

from Three Limericks
(Edward Lear)
TTBB Choir

1, There was an Old Man in a Marsh (Frogs)
3. There was an Old Person of Brussels

Performances

2022 Performances

• Feb. 12 – The Gathering – newVoices Choir, Phillip Swan, cond. (Appleton, WI)
• March 10 – Eat Your Vegetables! – Set One – Cleveland Statue University Chorale, Brian Bailey, cond. (Cleveland, OH)
• March 27 – Eat Your Vegetables! – Set One – Ohio Wesleyan University Choral Art Society, Xin Su, cond. (Delaware, OH)
• April 2 – De Profundis – Opus 7 Vocal Ensemble, Loren Pontén, cond. (Seattle, WA)
• April 25 – The Soul’s Expression – Baylor University Chamber Singers, Brian Schmidt, cond. (Waco, TX) – TEXAS / MIDWEST PREMIERE
• May 21 – “Nor I for You” from After Love – Opus 7 Vocal Ensemble, Loren Pontén, cond. (Seattle, WA)
• May 21 – Singing Together – Opus 7 Vocal Ensemble, Loren Pontén, cond. (Seattle, WA)
• June 3 – Sing to Me! – Bay Choral Guild, Sanford Dole, cond. (Campbell, CA)
• June 4 – Sing to Me! – Bay Choral Guild, Sanford Dole, cond. (San Francisco, CA)
• June 5 – Sing to Me! – Bay Choral Guild, Sanford Dole, cond. (Palo Alto, CA)
• June 11 – Hope (poem by Emily Dickinson) for SSA choir a cappella – Seattle Girls Choir: Prime Voci, Sarra Sharif Doyle, cond. (Seattle, CA)
• June 12 – Imagination! (poem by Phillis Wheatley) for SATB choir a cappella (WORLD PREMIERE) – Commissioned by The Donald Brinegar Singers in honor of the conductor’s 70th birthday, The Donald Brinegar Singers, Donald Brinegar, cond. (Pasadena, CA)
• June 26 – Hope (poem by Emily Dickinson) for SSA choir a cappella – Seattle Girls Choir: Prime Voci, Jacob Winkler, cond. (Seattle, CA)
• Various Dates – Hope (poem by Emily Dickinson) for SSA choir a cappella – Seattle Girls Choir: Prime Voci, Jacob Winkler, cond. (Summer 2022 Tour)
• July 6 (2 performances) – Cantata Caffeinata (libretto by Charles Anthony Silvestri) for Soprano + Baritone Soloists, SATB choir, Soprano Saxophone, Percussion, and Organ (WORLD PREMIERE) – Commissioned by the American Guild of Organists for the Biennial National Convention in Seattle, WA, Anne Lyman, conductor. (Seattle, WA)
• October 15 – The Gathering – newVoices Choir, Phillip Swan, cond. (Appleton, WI)
• October 21 – A Psalm of Life – Ensign Chorus, Steve Danielson, cond. (Benaroya Hall, Seattle, WA)
• October 22 – Eat Your Vegetables! – Set Two – Opus 7 Vocal Ensemble, Loren Pontén, cond. (Seattle, WA)
• December 4 – “O Adonai” and “O King of Nations” from The Great “O” Antiphons – Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter & Paul, Charlene Angelini, cond. (Philadelphia, PA)
• December 10 – “The First Miracle” from This Night and “O Emmanuel” from The Great “O” Antiphons – Opus 7 Vocal Ensemble, Loren Pontén, cond. (St. James Cathedral, Seattle, WA)
• Date TBD – The Gathering – Unitarian Universalist Congregation Atlanta Choir, Donald Milton, cond. (Atlanta, GA)

2023 Performances

• Jan. 20, 2023 – A Psalm of Life – Broken Arrow High School Chamber Choir, Justin Rosser, cond. (Oklahoma Music Educators State Conference; Oklahoma City, OK)
• March 23 – Eat Your Vegetables! – Set One – 3. RAH! – Appleton West High School, Autumn Meyers, cond. (Appleton, WI)
• May 11 – Eat Your Vegetables! – Set One – 3. RAH! – Shepherd High School Concert Choir, Claire Ingersoll, cond. (Shepherd, MI)
• May 13, 2023 – Pilgrim Beatitudes (libretto by Euan Tait) for Tenor + Baritone Soloists, SATB choir, 2 Percussion, Piano, and Strings (WORLD PREMIERE) – Commissioned by Opus 7 Vocal Ensemble to celebrate their 30th Anniversary Season. (Seattle, WA)
• May 19, 2023 – Eternity Passing Over, Making Peace, and The Stars Still Shine – Cantabile Chamber Choir, Dustin Willetts, cond. (Venue TBD, WA)
• May 24 – Eat Your Vegetables! – Set One – 3. RAH! – Mesa Grande Academy 7–12 Choir, Alissa Tanguay, cond. (Calimesa, CA)
• Spring (Date TBD) – Two River Nocturnes: 1. Prairie Waters by Night, 2. River Moons – Sunday Night Singers, Michael McCullough, cond. (Location TBD, Lancaster, CA)
• June 2 – Singing Together – Bay Choral Guild, Sanford Dole, cond. (Campbell, CA)
• June 3 – Singing Together – Bay Choral Guild, Sanford Dole, cond. (San Francisco, CA)
• June 4 – Singing Together – Bay Choral Guild, Sanford Dole, cond. (Palo Alto, CA)
• July 2023 – Two River Nocturnes: 1. Prairie Waters by Night, 2. River Moons – Sunday Night Singers, Michael McCullough, cond. (Missoula International Choral Festival, Missoula, MT)
• Date TBD – Eat Your Vegetables! – Set One – Boychoir of Ann Arbor, John Boonenberg, cond. (Ann Arbor, MI)

Commissions & Premieres

Recent Premieres

• June12, 2022 – Imagination! (poem by Phillis Wheatley) for SATB choir a cappella (WORLD PREMIERE) – Commissioned by The Donald Brinegar Singers in honor of the conductor’s 70th birthday, The Donald Brinegar Singers, Donald Brinegar, cond. (Pasadena, CA)
• July 6, 2022 (2 performances) – Cantata Caffeinata (libretto by Charles Anthony Silvestri) for Soprano + Baritone Soloists, SATB choir, Soprano Saxophone, Percussion, and Organ (WORLD PREMIERE) – Commissioned by the American Guild of Organists for the Biennial National Convention in Seattle, WA, Anne Lyman, conductor. (Seattle, WA)

Upcoming Premieres

• May 13, 2023 – Pilgrim Beatitudes (libretto by Euan Tait) for Two  Soloists, SATB choir, 2 Percussion, Piano, and Strings (WORLD PREMIERE) – Commissioned by Opus 7 Vocal Ensemble to celebrate their 30th Anniversary Season. (Seattle, WA)
• Fall 2023 (Date TBD) – Borders, (WORLD PREMIERE of Complete Version) – Commissioned by Matthew Melendez and the Great Bend Center for Music in collaboration with the Distinguished Concerts International New York Premiere Project, with support from the Mason County Washington Historic Preservation Commission and Sierra Pacific Industries – Great Bend Chorale and Youth Chorale; Tess Altiveros, sop; Matthew Melendez, cond.
• Fall 2023 (Date TBD) – And Music Shall Untune the Sky for choir and soprano saxophone (WORLD PREMIERE) – Commissioned by Brian Gorelick. Performing ensemble TBD.

* Please contact composer for perusal scores of works listed above.