Ohm Pauli

Ohm W. Pauli was born on May 24, 1917. A native of Clarence, Missouri, he earned his B.M.E. from North Central College in 1941 while on a full scholarship. He then received his Master of Music degree from Northwestern University in 1941. Before coming to WKU, Mr. Pauli taught in the public schools as a choral director of Berkley High School in Berkley, Michigan (1941-1942). After four and a half years in the U.S. Navy, he continued his teaching career as an assistant professor of the voice at the University of Wichita (1947-1951). In 1951, he became the director of choral music at Bell Gardens High School in California. Later in his career, he became the choir director at the University Methodist Church in Los Angeles, California.

Mr. Pauli came to WKU as Assistant Professor of Voice in 1955. During his tenure, he was also Director of the Western Choir and Madrigal Singers. For the duration of his long teaching career, he made many contributions to his profession. Mr. Pauli served as Lieutenant Governor in the National Association of Teachers of Singing, National Treasurer of National Association of Teachers of Singers, Regional Director of the Berea Conference, and President of the Epsilon Kappa Chapter of Phi Delta Kappa. He was also a member of Phi Mu Alpha, the American Association of Choral Conductors, and he was a Danforth Associate. For 30 years he served as director of music at State Street United Methodist Church.

When he retired as a full professor from WKU in 1982, Mr. Pauli had distinguished himself as a national class vocal educator and adjudicator who took great pride in teaching and knowing his students. Despite his many achievements, he modestly noted that, “I have probably had more good students than I have deserved.” Many WKU vocal students believe however, that much of their musical success was due directly to Ohm Pauli. He was inducted into the WKU Hall of Fame in 1998. He passed away in 2009 at the age of 91.

To honor his prolific career at WKU and beyond, the music faculty established the Ohm Pauli String Ensemble Scholarship Fund in 2002. The fund serves to encourage and assist WKU students majoring in music with an emphasis on strings. Through this fund, Mr. Pauli’s legacy lives on in perpetuity.