PHILIP OREM

ACCOLADES

I find these pieces very well written and most successful all around. No wonder the sax concerto was a hit with the Navy Band. I find the flute concerto first movement very moving and the rest quite exciting. I like all three concertos...

Samuel Adler

Professor Emeritus - Eastman School of Music;  Professor Emeritus - The Julliard School

Wow--what a great piece! Great piccolo scoring! (for Ed)

Walfrid Kujala 

principle piccolo emeritus - Chicago Symphony Orchestra

I love the piece. It's beautiful, ... we  need to find an orchestra to play it with. (Concerto for Oboe and Orchestra)

Alex Klein

principal oboe emeritus - Chicago Symphony Orchestra

 ... a major classical composer. (But user friendly!) 

Glen Roven

 four-time Emmy Award winner; CEO/Artistic Director - Roven Records

I have known Phil for over thirty years, and have found him to be an exceptional musician -  his compositions are expressive, exhibit supreme craftsmanship, sensitivity to text, and while singable and playable, nearly always contain challenges for the performer.  I urge colleagues around the globe to take a good look at Phil's work  -  it deserves to be played and sung!

Stephen Gothold

Music Director - Chorale Bel Canto, Los Angeles CA;  Professor of Conducting - Claremont Graduate University;  Professor of Music Emeritus - Whittier College 

Phil Orem is a fresh voice as a composer for band.  His works are sensitive, artistic, intellectual, and brilliantly scored.  His works are also playable as he completely understands the band medium.

Michael Golemo, D.M.A.

Professor of Music, Director of Bands- Iowa State University

I so appreciate the music of Phil Orem, having performed both his band and choral music. His eclectic voice and deft touch lead him to create works that are both accessible and fresh, and his choices of text are inspired and inspiring.

Pete Nowlen

Director of Bands - University of California Davis;  Artistic Director and Conductor - San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band;  Artistic Director and Conductor - Camerata California Chamber Choir and Orchestra;  Artistic Director - Music in the Mountains;  Professor Emeritus of Horn and Chamber Music - Sacramento State University

... he certainly knows something about how to pace time, melody and harmony in an interesting and still emotionally 'present' way. Some passages clearly have the immediacy of theater and are generously direct/emotional, but there are lots of other things that show him to be a really knowledgeable musician and composer. (Requiem)

Stephen Blackwelder

Music Director and Conductor - Waukegan Symphony;  Director - DePaul Community Chorus

I have found Phil Orem's music to be interesting, innovative, and very musical. He is a highly talented musician and I recommend his works without reservation.

Ralph Wilder

Professor of Clarinet and Saxophone - North Park University, Chicago;  Founder and Director - Northwest Concert Band;  Principal Clarinet - Evanston Symphony Orchestra

My 7/8 grade band thoroughly enjoyed this march! They related easily to the regal theme and made many connections to other artistic mediums and to their imaginations. Phil Orem does a splendid job of carefully crafting melodic ranges and orchestrations that enhance the mid-level group. I found this work (King and Queen March) to be a wonderful resource for teaching music through performance! The band learned this quickly and easily, which, for junior high, equals fun!

Sara McGovern

Instrumental Music Educator - Georgetown-Ridge Farm Schools, Georgetown, Illinois

Phil Orem's "I've Got Peace Like a River" is a regular part of our choral repertoire at Grosse Pointe Memorial Church. He has taken a simple spiritual and made a remarkable extended anthem from it. Particularly fine is the word-painting of each verse (especially "I've got pain like an arrow") and the way the piece takes you on an emotional journey. Phil Orem's writing has craft, sensitivity, creativity, and style!

James Biery

Minister of Music and Organist, Grosse Pointe Memorial Church, Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan

Mr. Phil Orem is a talented composer with a unique ability to bring the emotional content of a text - whether poetry, prose, or liturgy - to light.  He writes music that is emotionally direct and honest; accessible, yet sophisticated; deep, yet unpretentious.  His original settings pay homage to the words in a sensitive fashion and lift up their message in the way that music can and should.  An accomplished musician and arranger, Mr. Orem's settings are written with a knowledge of the instrument's range, color, and tone.  As a singer, I appreciate Mr. Orem's settings for their singability and musicality.

Vicky Glikin

Senior Cantor - Temple Emanu-El, Dallas, Texas

Phil Orem has written a gloriously original work for oboe and organ that is innovative and creative as well as idiomatic and listenable. It was well received at our 2016 premiere and we will definitely play it again.

Marilyn Perkins Biery, DMA, AAGO

Music Director at Fort Street Presbyterian Church, Detroit, Michigan

Orem, whose solo works for saxophone I've had the privilege to perform, represents a unique and refreshing voice in contemporary composition.  While inventive and direct, his voice reflects an innocence and optimism sorely needed in the 21st century.

Dr. Jessica Maxfield

Artist-Teacher of Classical Saxophone - University of Southern California 

Philip Orem writes intelligent and engaging music featuring jaunty rhythms, surprising harmonies, and Sondheim-like melodies, all interspersed with a wry humor.

Stephen Caplan

Professor of Oboe- University of Nevada Las Vegas;  Principal Oboist -Las Vegas Philharmonic;  Buffet Group USA Performing Artist

I was privileged to give the first public performance of "Three Psalms for Clarinet and Piano" at Augustana College, Rock Island, IL in October, 2015. It is a very enjoyable and audience-friendly work, with interesting rhythms and some not-too-scary extended techniques and special effects. "Out of the Depths" begins in a dark and moody place, but becomes more active and angular. The second movement includes a setting of Isaac Watt's hymn "My Shepherd Will Supply My Need", and could be suitable as a stand-alone piece for liturgical use, perhaps as a prelude. The third movement, "Make a Joyful Noise", includes many musical quotations, a taste of klezmer, some bluesy jazz, a couple of multiphonics, and some improvised sound effects, and is a ton of fun!

Susan D. Schwaegler

Instructor of Clarinet - Augustana College;  Charter Member - Quad City Wind Ensemble

I have sung much of Philip Orem's music: The premier of a major song cycle with texts by Wendell Berry, an encore piece (again with text by Mr. Berry, which has consistently delighted audiences); I've conducted Mr. Orem's choral compositions and have been involved in the world premiere of his Ashira, A Musical Service for Cantor and Choir

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The outstanding feature of Phil's vocal music is its singability -he knows the voice and writes excellently for it. His melodic lines are well crafted and always lyrical. He has a true sense of text and the drama thereof, never mis-setting the rhythm and stresses of the word, never failing to bring out its meaning and always honoring the poet in this way. His accompaniments are done with a true sense of humor (when humor is appropriate) and a serious flow when a serious flow is appropriate to the text. They never obscure the singer, rather compliment the singer and text regardless of tone and of the text. As with other fine vocal composers, Mr. Orem's accompaniments form a trio between the pianist, singer and the author.

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Philip Orem is a most theatrical composer, sensitive to the voice, the poetry, and the poet's sense of what he has written and why.

Dr. Warren Fremling

baritone;  Choir Director Emeritus

When the Caramoor Festival asked me to program and perform a holiday concert, I wanted to bring in some fresh repertoire and Orem delivered big time. I put together a set of his songs that included "How Far Is It?", "Holy Innocents" and "Gabriel's Message" to close. "Holy Innocents" is a magical addition to anyone's program. The vocal line is simply gorgeous and provides ample opportunity to present a spinning legato line and mezza voce. The melody is both soothing and dreamlike, the accompaniment like a running stream spinning the exquisite poetry. This is one of my favorite pieces to sing.

Wes Mason

baritone