Harry Bulow

Harry Bulow is a Professor of Music at Purdue University's School of Design, Art, and Performance, where he served as Head from 2009 to 2019. Previously, he chaired music departments at the University of Hawaii, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and Lamar University, and directed bands at Santa Barbara City College. His career spans composition, performance, administration, and music technology leadership.

Education:

• Bachelor's in Music Education, San Diego State University
• M.A. and Ph.D. in Music Theory and Composition, UCLA (1978, 1983)

Bulow's creative scholarship centers on Music Theory, Composition, and Electronic Music, with significant contributions to Jazz, Film, and Sacred Music. His eclectic style synthesizes influences from Copland, Mancini, and Lutosławski, emphasizing graphic notation and extended techniques. Recent work explores cross-cultural fusion (e.g., Japanese-Western instrumentation) and wind ensemble innovation, reflecting his leadership in modernizing band pedagogy through publications like Composing Outside the Box.

His 15 most recent publications reveal a sustained focus on wind ensemble and chamber music, with increasing integration of commercial media (video games) and cross-cultural elements. The 2016-2019 output shows particular emphasis on brass quintets and piano works, demonstrating technical innovation within traditional forms.

Awards:

• 38 Consecutive ASCAP Awards (1980-2018)
• Oscar Espla International Composers Prize (1986)
• 1st Prize, International Composers Competition, Trieste (1977)
• Dallas Wind Symphony Fanfare Award (2006)
• National Endowment for the Arts Composer Fellowship (1986)

Bulow has secured substantial research funding including Purdue's ASPIRE/CREATE Grants (2017-2019) and North Carolina Arts Council Fellowships. His commissioned works span academic (Eastman Wind Ensemble), commercial (EA Sports), and international contexts (Moscow National Symphonic Band), with recent performances at Society of Composers conferences and College Music Society events.

He maintains active performance collaborations with ensembles like the Indianapolis Wind Symphony and pianist Martin Jones, while his compositions continue to shape contemporary wind band repertoire through innovative approaches to notation and form.