Stephen Bulla

Stephen Bulla

Biography

Stephen Bulla (b. 1953) is an American composer and arranger.

Stephen Bulla received his degree in arranging and composition from Boston's Berklee College of Music, graduating magna cum laude. His studies there developed an interest in the commercial music field, eventually leading to a schedule of full-time composing and recording production.

Presently, Mr. Bulla has entered his third decade as Staff Arranger to "The President's Own" U.S. Marine Band and White House Orchestra. As such he is responsible for the production of music that encompasses many styles and instrumental combinations, most of which are performed for presidential functions and visiting dignitaries. His musical arrangements were featured on the PBS television series "In Performance At The White House" and performed by many artists including Sarah Vaughan, The Manhattan Transfer, Mel Torme, Doc Severinsen, Nell Carter, and Larry Gatlin.

A variety of freelance commercial projects find Mr. Bulla in the studio producing new recordings, including the popular Spiritual To The ‘Bone' series of jazz trombone ensemble CDs. In 1990 he was awarded the prestigious ADDY Award for best original music/TV spot, and recently he provided the music score for the 'Century of Flight' series on the Discovery Channel. In 1998 he was honored by The Salvation Army in New York for his extensive contribution to their musical repertoire. This event included a 'Profile' concert of his compositions, featuring performances by the New York Staff Band.

His commissioned concert works include instrumental compositions that are performed and recorded internationally. The Dutch, British, Swiss and New Zealand Brass Band Championship organizations have all commissioned test pieces from his pen. His wind band compositions are published by De Haske Music and Curnow Music Press.

Stephen Bulla is a member of ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers) and has received that organization's Performance Award annually since 1984.

Works for Winds

• Adirondack Festival Overture (2014)
• Andante con Moto (as arranger) (1816/2003)
• Bells of Christmas (1999)
• Blue Mountain Saga (1995)
• Bond, James Bond (as arranger)
• Cartoon Capers (as arranger) (2000)
• Celestial Suite (1989)
• Christmas Calypso (1997)
• Cole Porter Songbook (as arranger)
• Declaration for Trumpet
• Ellington! (as arranger) (2019)
• Escapades (as transcriber) (2002/2012)
• Euphonium Fantasia
• Excerpts from "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" (as arranger) (1978/2009)
• Fascinating Rhythm (as arranger) (1924)
• Firestorm (1992)
• The Imperial March (as arranger) (1980/2008)
• Irish Lullaby, An
• Irish Songs, Set No 1 (as arranger)
• Irish Songs, Set No 2 (as arranger) (2004)
• Legend of Knife River (1997)
• Legends of Jazz (as arranger) (2012)
• Library of Congress March, The (as arranger)
• Mambo Greats (as arranger) (2013)
• Mancini! (as arranger) (2000?)
• March Creole (1995)
• North Bridge Portrait (2001)
• Of Ancient Dances (2015)
• Pride of a People (as arranger)
• Rhapsody for Flute (1996)
• Rhapsody for Hanukkah (1994)
• Russian Carol Variations (1999)
• The Schumann Suite (as arranger) (1997)
• Selections from "Into the Woods" (as arranger)
• Selections from "The Great Race" (as arranger)
• Selections from ''Sweeney Todd'' (as arranger) (1979/2009)
• Shipston Prelude (2000)
• Sinatra! (as arranger) (2011)
• Slavonic Fantasy (as arranger)
• Sondheim! (as arranger) (2021)
• Stephen Foster Songbook (as arranger) (1999)
• Symphonette (2003)
• Symphonic Highlights from "Frozen" (as arranger) (2013)
• Tiger Rag (as adapter)
• Tribute to Louis Armstrong (as arranger)
• Trilogy Americana (2002)
• Uncommon Valor (1995)
• Wade in the Water (as arranger) (2001)
• Winterfest (as arranger) (2002)
• Yankee Doodle (as arranger) (1845/)

Resources

• Curnow Music
• Miles, Richard B. 2000. Teaching Music Through Performance in Band. Volume 3. Chicago: GIA Publications. pp. 178.
• Stephen Bulla website Accessed 12 January 2018