Staff & faculty

Paul Mortilla currently studies music composition as a doctoral candidate and professor at Rice University. Before attending Rice, he received a Master’s of Music from the Yale School of Music (2020) and a Bachelor’s from Indiana University (2017). He has studied music composition with Art Gottschalk, Anthony Brandt, David Lang, Christopher Theofinidis, Martin Bresnick, Aaron J. Kernis, Don Freund, David Dzubay, Aaron Travers, Scott Stinson. Paul attended notable summer festivals such as Tanglewood (2017), Mizzou International Composer’s Festival, and Aspen Music Festival (2022). His music has been performed by Albany Symphony’s Dog’s of Desire, the Callithumpian Consort, and Alarm Will Sound. Paul is a recipient of various awards such as Chamber Music America commission/grant, American Academy of Arts and Letters Charles Ives Scholarship, Yale School of Music Charles Wood Award, and Yale School of Music Teaching Fellowship. Along with composition, Paul is an active conductor and performer. He was previously director of music at Narberth Presbyterian Church (2022) and composer in residence at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Ft. Lauderdale, Fl (2018-2020). He is an avid conductor and facilitator of the performance and recording of contemporary music. Paul has played violin in Indiana University’s University Orchestra, Yale Cabaret, and at Rice. Paul also studies viola da gamba, having performed with Yale Collegium and Rice Collegium. Paul is currently a staff singer at Trinity Episcopal Church Midtown.

Beyond Western Classical music, Paul also studies Javanese Gamelan with Mas Dar and Maho Ishiguro and is active in the Houston’s Gamelan Wilun Enggal. Paul studies North Indian raga with composer Michael Harrison. Paul experiments in electronic music and music production as well as performance art. Paul’s music has been released on an album with emerging ensembles such as the Pathos Trio.

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