A native Clevelander, Nicholas Puin holds a Bachelor’s of Music Composition Degree from The Berklee College of Music, a Masters of Music Composition Degree and an Ohio Teaching Certificate from Cleveland State University. His compositions and arrangements have been performed by members of The Cleveland Orchestra, The Cleveland Chamber Symphony, The Cleveland Jazz Orchestra, The Singing Angels, The Bop Stop Jazz Unit and most recently The Baldwin- Wallace University and The Case-Western University Jazz Ensembles.
His works were commissioned for radio and television commercial advertising recordings, recordings by local recording artists as well as formal concert performances by various local ensembles. Mr. Puin has taught general and instrumental music for The Beachwood City Schools, The Maple Heights City Schools and most recently The Brunswick, Berea and Strongsville City Schools. During his tenure for the Maple Hts. City Schools, Mr. Puin implemented a very successful Jazz Ensemble at the high school and wrote most of the arrangements for them. He has served as The Director of Percussion for The Strongsville High School Marching Band for the 2012, 2013 and 2014 seasons. In addition he has been an alternate percussionist for The Strongsville Community Band since 2002. Mr. Puin was private a drum instructor at Motter’s Music in Lyndhurst from 1975-2018. He has since joined Woodsy’s Music in Medina and has been a private drum instructor there since November 2018. He also leads his own ensemble, The Nick Puin Band, which has performed in the Cleveland and Akron metropolitan areas since 2001. Mr. Puin has been the Music Director of The Italian Band of Cleveland since 1987. A unique ensemble which performs at Italian church festivals, also in the Cleveland metropolitan area during the summer. Mr. Puin serves on the Advisory Board to Artistic By Design. An organization devoted to promoting the arts by providing classes in music, art and dance. Mr. Puin has been a member of The Cleveland Composers Guild since 1998.
CATALOG OF WORKS
Wind
Numerous original compositions and arrangements for large and small jazz ensembles; numerous commissions/arrangements for various ensembles used for recordings by local performers and advertising agencies
Inner Workings Suite (for large jazz ensemble), 2014
Arrangement of “Things Ain’t the Way They Used To Be” (for large jazz ensemble), 2014
Arrangement “Green and Blue” (for large jazz ensemble), 2015
Arrangement of "First Flight" for large jazz ensemble 2016 (original composition)
Arrangement of "A Patriotic Medley" for The Strongsville Community Band (2002- Revised 2017)
Arrangement of "I'm Old Fashioned" for large jazz ensemble 2017-2018
Arrangement of "Brooklyn Heights" for large jazz ensemble 2019
Modal Upheaval Suite For Large Jazz Ensemble in Four Movements (2020-2021)
Various arrangements for The Italian Band of Cleveland (1994-present)
Two arrangements for The Italian Band of Cleveland 2022
All In The Game for Large Jazz Ensemble 2023
Choral
The Peace Within, 2011 (SATB and Flute)
Orchestral/Chamber
An Honorable Decision,1993 (for English Horn and Strings)
Conclusion, 1994 (Fantasy for Full Orchestra)
Solo Instrument and/or mixed ensemble
Return To 69th Street, 2023 (solo piano)
Libitum Quartet, 1978 (String Quartet)
4+5 Divided by 2+4, 1999 (for two Pianos)
69th Street, 2001 (for two Pianos)
Accept The Challenge, 2002 (for Three Trumpets and Percussion)
Towards A Better Time, 2004 (String Quartet)
Four From Two, 2005-2006 (for Solo Piano)
Some Of Both, 2010 (for Viola and Piano)
Three Of The Fifths By Four, 2011 (Guitar Quartet)
Serious Intentions, 2012 (for two Pianos)
Two Short Adventures, 2012 (Woodwind Quintet)
First Flight, 2012-2013 (Jazz Quartet for Trumpet, Piano, Bass and Drums)
One Or The Other, 2014 (for Trombone and Piano)
New Hope, 2015 (for Solo Piano)
Fun Run, 2016 (for Solo Cello)
An Introspective Demeanor, 2016 (Suite for Trombone quartet)
Three Deadlines, 2016-2017 (for Solo Piano)
Serenade of the Songbirds, 2017 (Suite for Flute quintet)
A Sure Sign of Spring, 2018 (for solo piano)
Six Reasons Why, in two movements, 2018 (Bassoon quintet)
Another Chance, 2019 (for solo piano)
A Different Perspective (for solo piano) 2020
A Better Choice (for solo piano) 2020
Seven, In a Roundabout Way (for solo piano) 2022
Six In Four (for solo violoncello) 2023
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