((Left) Paula Dreyer, (Right) Still Waters | Photos courtesy of Paula Dreyer)
Bend-based composer and pianist Paula Dreyer has been awarded Third Place in The American Prize, a prestigious national competition recognizing excellence among composers across the United States.
The American Prize honors outstanding works for orchestra, chorus, concert band, chamber ensemble, theater, opera, dance and film. Paula’s award recognizes compositions from her album Central Star and her collaboration with choreographer Kevin Jenkins. Jenkins’ dance work Still Waters brought Paula’s music into a powerful interdisciplinary setting, expanding the reach of the compositions through movement.
Paula’s compositional process is rooted in improvisation and intuition. She composes directly at the piano, shaping musical ideas organically until their emotional arc, sonorities and proportions fully emerge.
“Composing is one of my favorite activities in life,” Paula says. “When I compose and perform, I experience a deep sense of focus and connection. In those moments, the distractions of daily life fall away, and I’m fully present in the music.”
This recognition also highlights Central Oregon’s growing presence on the national composition scene. Fellow Bend resident Chris Thomas received an American Prize award last year, underscoring the region’s vibrant and evolving creative community.
In addition to her nationally recognized compositional work, Paula is the creator of the Piano Flow Live concert series, an immersive performance experience that brings original piano music into distinctive natural and cultural settings throughout the region. Her performances have taken place on candlelit ski trails, inside lava caves, at the Tower Theatre, beside mountain lakes and among blooming lavender fields. Each concert is conceived as a collaborative artistic event and features a visual artist painting live, creating a one-of-a-kind experience shaped by place, season and creative dialogue.
“This recognition is a meaningful milestone,” Paula adds. “Life as a professional musician brings many twists and turns — lots of ups and downs — and today is very much an up.”