With so many talented composers in our catalogs, we want to take time to highlight the creativity, process, and passion of those with new music releasing. Each month of 2025 we will feature a composer who has a new piece coming out soon or who has recently published with us in an installment of "Beyond the Score." Today we are talking with Nathan Zullinger.
What inspired you to begin studying music?
My older sister began piano lessons. I was six years old and had to have everything she had, so I went to lessons, too. I was also enthralled by the pipe organ at our Lutheran church. It's part of my earliest memories.
What motivates you musically today?
Today I am primarily motivated by my work with students, though I continue to evolve as a performer myself. I love researching repertoire and figuring out how to teach it. It's also fun to watch students react to compositions, sometimes in completely different ways than I would have envisioned. In terms of my own music making, I recently spent three years in intensive vocal study and presented a public recital for the first time in twenty-five years. It taught me so much about myself and made me a better teacher in many ways.
What do you draw on for inspiration as you begin a new composition?
I'm inspired by need. Nearly every piece I've written was created for something specific. I very seldom sit down and write something out of the blue. As an extension of that, I like to make pieces that are flexible and can serve a lot of situations. Very few perfect choirs exist, yet our conferences continue to push four-part pieces with extensive divisi and vocal challenges. There's nothing wrong with being simple or straight-forward. Sometimes, particularly in worship, those pieces are the best. Choirs with unusual needs are particularly fun to write for - restrictions bring out my best!
What is your favorite piece of music and why?
That's impossible to say. It varies by the day, and probably by the hour, too.
What draws you to write music for the church, and how do you approach text and music for ensembles that are mostly music-loving amateurs?
I think that the church needs music of integrity, but also music that is fun to learn and offers some ability to be creative. One of the beautiful things about an amateur ensemble is that they won't know it's hard unless you say so. My church choirs over the years have done some incredible things. It also helps for church musicians to have developed abilities in music education. How you teach a piece can make all the difference. Amateur ensembles can make excellent music with good leadership. During my six years in North Carolina, we had a 36-voice, balanced, all-volunteer adult choir. I actually resisted the notion of hiring section leaders because I liked the idea of keeping it as a volunteer ensemble. One thing I never accepted: that lower standards were "ok" because it was an amateur choir. Nope!
What is one experience that you have had that wouldn’t have been available if you hadn’t been in the music world?
If I hadn't been in the music world, I wouldn't have had to take on outside jobs at various times to support myself. So I would have missed out on being a bank teller or working as an administrative assistant for a company that assisted adults who needed round-the-clock care. Those experiences made me a better person and musician. They also served to remind me that there's a big world out there, and musicians can easily fall into a "savior of the world" complex.
What is a favorite hobby or interest outside of music?
I love spending time in nature, cooking, reading (especially historic novels and US history), and travel. This looks like a personals ad, but it isn't! Much of this is done with my partner and our two pets.
We are grateful for Nate's work and the impact it has on the ministry we serve. To learn more about Nate and his work, explore his releases through Augsburg Fortress here.
