Short Biography
Samuel Paytosh studied at Idaho State University. He obtained a double-major in Music Performance and Biochemistry, and when Sam is not cooking up chemicals, he studied with Dr. Kori Bond and Dr. Thom Hasenpflug. Over his time at ISU, he has composed works for solo piano, clarinet choir, jazz band, and concert band. He hopes to write film music and is excited for what the future will bring.
Longer Story
Born and raised in Jerome, Idaho, it seems that Samuel Paytosh (b. 1998) was destined to have a future in music when he was tickling the keys of his family piano as soon as he could reach them. His high school piano education was mainly self-taught and through his mother. Samuel attributes his middle school and high school music education (choir, percussion, and theater) to these fine teachers in the Jerome area: Rebecca Lock, Penni Aufderheide, Marriane Boesiger, and Hiroshi Fukuoka, among others.
The musical genius of Vivaldi, particularly the Four Seasons, and the tight harmonies of Eric Whitacre’s choral music were an early inspiration for Samuel in his youth. As he entered high school, his interest also grew to include jazz, funk, big band, Beethoven, and Mahler. During college, he was particularly enraptured by Broadway musicals, especially the music of Wicked, J.S. Bach’s Goldburg Variations, and Stravinski’s Rite of Spring.
While Samuel’s first composition was written in 4th grade, for solo recorder, and he arranged quite a few pieces in high school, it wasn’t until his college years at Idaho State University that he had mentors in composition: professors Thom Hasenpflug (Percussion and Composition) and Jonathan Armstrong (Jazz). Throughout college, he consistently composed and arranged solo and small ensemble works — mostly for the jazz band.
Samuel’s future in composition is bright, and we are all looking forward to what comes next. He hopes to either attend graduate school for composition or to start working hands-on in the field of film composition.
–from the pen of Pernecia Heinemann
Headshots
