Paul Whear

TRIO VARIATIONS The West Virginia Music Teachers Association and the Music Teachers National Association commissioned Trio Variations in 1975. The composition is dedicated to the memory of Susan Grenouillou who was a clarinetist at Interlochen, Michigan. It has been the subject of a doctoral dissertation and is recorded on the Laurel label "Twentieth Century Trios."

Paul W. Whear, born in Auburn, Indiana, holds the B.N.S. from Marquette University, the B.A. and M.Mus. from De Pauw University, the Ph.D. from Western Reserve University, and an Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts from Marquette University. It was not until after the completion of his naval service that he decided on a music career. He considers composing and conducting to be of equal importance. Presently he is Professor of Music - Resident Composer Emeritus at Marshall University and Conductor Emeritus of the Huntington Chamber Orchestra.
Among his honors are nine prizes in national composition contests, MacDowell Colony Fellowships, grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, continuing A.S.C.A.P. awards and a Huntington Hartford Residence Fellowship. FANFARE magazine listed him as one of America's top ten composers for Band. His compositions have been performed all over the United States, in Canada, Japan, and in seven European nations. He has guest conducted in most of the states, Canada, Japan, the Netherlands, and England and is a frequent clinician with orchestras and bands of all levels. His music has been performed by The London Symphony, The Philadelphia Orchestra, The Cleveland Philharmonic, The Indianapolis Symphony, The Rochester Civic Orchestra, The Omaha Symphony, The Lincoln Symphony, The Charleston Symphony, The U.S. Navy Band, the Coldstream Guards Band (London), etc.