Paul Kolar is a North Dakota native who earned bachelor degrees in music and elementary education from the University of North Dakota, and a master's degree in composition from Minnesota State University, Mankato. He has taught K-12 vocal music in Minnesota and Eureka, South Dakota from 1982 through 2016. His original works include a bassoon concerto, a mass, a woodwind quintet, numerous sacred and secular choral pieces, art songs, piano solos, pop tunes, and a symphonic tone poem.