About

Peter Paulsen is currently Assistant Professor of Double Bass/Jazz Studies at West Chester University in Pennsylvania and is an active member of the nearby Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra, principal bass of the Allentown Symphony Orchestra in Pennsylvania and has been principal bass with the Spoleto Festival Orchestra in Spoleto, Italy. He is also busy as a free-lance jazz bassist in the tri-state area and performs regularly with his own quintet and trio as well as many of Philadelphia’s top jazz performers.

Peter has been on the Artist Roster of PennPAT (Pennsylvania Performing Artists on Tour), an exclusive and diverse group of performers that make their services available at special rates to eligible venues (PennPAT Presenters Roster)

Mr. Paulsen is committed to the education of young, up-coming musicians and has participated in master classes with Francois Rabbath, Hal Robinson, Mark Morton, Donald Palma and as a clinician with Jimmy Knepper, George Young, Clark Terry, Dennis DiBlasio, Valery Ponamerov, Ed Soph and Gunnar Mossblad.

He is a member of the International Society of Bassists and an active composer of works for his instrument, receiving two prestigious Pennsylvania Council on the Arts composition grants and a residency at the Banff Centre for the Arts in Alberta, Canada.

He released his first CD as a leader on R&L Records, “Three-Stranded Cord”, for jazz quintet, receiving national airplay and high reports on Jazzweek and CMJ (college radio) charts. As a member of the MPH Trio, with Gunnar Mossblad on saxophones and Chris Hanning on percussion, he has released “Curves” on GPC Recordings, which is also getting national airplay and reviews.

Peter can be heard on the 2005 Wahbo Records release, “Useful Music” by the Jeff Baumeister Quartet and Mr. Paulsen’s 2nd CD release as a leader on Wahbo Records, “Tri-cycle”, for jazz trio featuring compositions that won him a third PCA composition grant.

Peter’s activity as a composer was recognized by the PEW Charitable Trust and as a recipient of the PEW Fellowship in Music Composition for 2007 led to the CD release, Peter Paulsen’s “Change of Scenery” Sextet, also on Wahbo Records. The 4th CD release under his name, Peter Paulsen Quintet, “Goes Without Saying,” was released on SquarePegWorks in 2010. The 5th CD, Peter Paulsen Trio, “A Few Thoughts”, was released on SquarePegWorks in 2015 receiving international airplay and high rating on Jazzweek and CMJ.

Mr. Paulsen is the Director and bassist of TurksHeadKnot Contemporary Music Ensemble, which incorporates the discipline and precision of modern classical composition with the expressive flow of jazz improvisation in forging a sound quite unique and their own. Newly commissioned works as well as compelling arrangements drawn from a wide range of material are staple elements of the ensemble’s repertoire.

The core ensemble consists of saxophone (doubling of alto, tenor, soprano), percussion (pitched and unpitched) and double bass, with added instrumentation to accommodate the piece being performed.