The legacy of a man considered to be one of the top five most programmed composers—along with Handel, Brahms, Mendelssohn and Mozart—can be found deep within the workings of Butler University’s Lilly Hall.

This composer, teacher and faculty member is music theory and history professor James Mulholland.  Mulholland has worked as a music professor at Butler for 47 years.

Mulholland’s interest in music can be traced back to his childhood in Mississippi.  He said his mother sang and played piano constantly. His father had a love of poetry and words.

“I grew up with a great respect for music, for beautiful poetry and for beautiful prose,” Mulholland said. “I just thought it was something that everyone did.”

Growing up outside of the city, Mulholland said he was a recluse with his parents.  Support from both of his parents resulted in an early talent and aptitude for music and the arts as a whole.

“I started studying piano as early as eight, but I started singing even before I was eight in church,” Mulholland said. “When I would sing, everyone would love my soprano voice, and I loved the attention.”

Mulholland said singing is part of his identity and personality.  He said he uses music as a means of communication.

In addition to piano and vocals, Mulholland said he studied almost all instruments as a student interested in composition during his college years at Louisiana State University.  Piano still remains as his instrument of choice today.

Mulholland said he found inspiration for his musical compositions through his father’s love of poetry, especially poetry by English poets, which he considers to be his heritage.

Mulholland combines love of singing, composition and poetry in his compositions.  He said 90 percent of his compositions are vocal compositions, whether joined by piano or an ensemble.  While he mainly writes vocal compositions, he said he wants to begin writing more pieces for piano.

With commission bookings throughout the year 2014, Mulholland has become one of the most commissioned composers of his generation.  Over his career, he has commissioned more than 600 compositions.

As a full-time professor, Mulholland said it is often difficult to find time to compose. He said he has forced himself to compose at least four hours everyday.

“The one thing that a person that writes has to have is discipline,” Mulholland said. “You are your boss.  You’re your own quality control.”

His work has not gone unrecognized.

Mulholland is the recipient of the Butler University Medal of Distinction, the State of Indiana Sagamore of the Wabash award, the State of Indiana Distinguished Hoosier award, the Louisiana State University School of Music Alumnus of the Year award and the City of Indianapolis Proclamation Distinguished Citizen award.

Students and faculty also recognize the achievements of Mulholland.

Music and fine arts librarian Sheridan Stormes said Mulholland’s work has brought prospective students to Butler.  Prospective students auditioning at Butler often mention a love for his music.

Sophomore marketing and Spanish major Lauren Ezell said she appreciates Mulholland not only as a famous composer but as an outstanding teacher as well.  Ezell is in Mulholland’s music and action class.

“He is a patron of the arts, but he’s still very realistic and down-to-earth,” Ezell said. “The first class we tried to find out more about his fame as a composer, but he was really humble about it and didn’t like talking about himself.”

Even though Ezell isn’t a music major, she said she appreciates the fact that Mulholland understands that he isn’t always teaching students who have an innate passion for music.

“He teaches students by inspiring them to develop an appreciation for music,” Ezell said, “Even if they never appreciated music before.”

Sophomore biology and psychology major Sam Weichert is not someone you would want to run into in a back alley.

She is training for a bid to the 2012 Olympics for tae kwon do.

Last year, Weichert was offered an invitation to compete for an Olympic bid. She was unsuccessful, but didn’t give up on her dream.

Weichert started practicing tae kwon do when she was four years old.

“I was so young that I think it was just something to do,” she said.  “Your parents go crazy signing you up for extracurriculars and that was just it.”

Weichert said the decision to stick with the sport came easily.

“I stick with stuff that I’m good at,” she said.  “I think I was just innately good at it, so that made it not as boring as soccer, where all I wanted to do was pick dandelions.”

These days, Weichert is more focused on her dream than ever.

“It’s a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week job,” she said.

Weichert trains everyday.  Her regimen is a balance between cross-training and traditional tae kwon do training.

She keeps herself on a strict diet to maintain her weight class and stays in constant contact with her coach of 16 years.

Though she does take tae kwon do seriously, Weichert said people often get the wrong impression of her.

“I am a student first and foremost, then I am looking to have fun,” she said.  “It’s more important for people to know that about me than to get scared away or hone in on the Olympics.”

Sophomore Jordan Gill, a friend of Weichert, said Weichert has found a good balance.

“Sam is quite possibly the most driven person I have ever met,” Gill said.  “But that certainly doesn’t mean that she doesn’t know how to have fun.  The girl is hysterical, but also knows when it is time to be serious.”

Sophomore Ashlynn Morrill, one of Weichert’s roommates, said Weichert is hilarious and genuine while still very dedicated and hardworking.

“She works out more than any person I know,” Morrill said.  “She sets her goals really high and works hard to meet them.”

Sophomore Jen Schaffer, another of Weichert’s roommates, said there is something about Weichert’s personality that inspires her to be a better person.

“Sam has this contagious spark to her,” Schaffer said.  “You can’t really explain it.  Sam is Sam, through and through, and no one will ever change her.”

Schaffer said she believes this inspiration comes from Weichert’s athletic mindset.

“Being an athlete, you have to have discipline and know your responsibilities,” she said.  “Sam works every single day to better herself as an athlete and I think it helps make her into a better person.”

Weichert said that her training as an athlete becomes even more rigorous during summer break, when she usually spends from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. training in the gym.

This upcoming summer also brings the qualifying tournaments for the Olympics.

“I start local, then work my way up to nationals, then work my way up to internationals,” Weichert said.  “Any one of the tournaments could be the last one.”

If she performs well at the international level, Weichert could be extended another chance to compete for a bid to the summer Olympics.

Weichert said last year’s invitation to compete for a bid was the highlight of her tae kwon do career.

“Trophies are nice, but I think being recognized is more important than anything you could take home,” she said.

Even if she isn’t given a bid, Weichert said she is pleased with her career so far.

“If the Olympics happens for me, then it happens,” she said. “But if it doesn’t, I’m content with everything I’ve done so far. It won’t be the end of the world if it doesn’t happen.”

Gill said Weichert’s Olympic dream is inspiring to her and others.

“I think a lot of us tend to limit ourselves to what’s easy or attainable in our minds,” she said. “Sam has shown me that it’s OK, and we all should strive for what we truly want, not what seems just within our reach.”

But Weichert isn’t going to let her Olympic dream define her as a person.

“I don’t think [the Olympics] defines any athlete,” she said. “I think its about the passion you have for the sport. I am very passionate about it.”