Richard Proulx (3 April 1937 – 18 February 2010) ranks among the most influential liturgical composers of the twentieth century. Modern Liturgy magazine described him as “the most significant liturgical composer of the last twenty years.” Born in St Paul, Minnesota, to Raymond and Helen Proulx, he began piano lessons at six and composition studies in secondary school, crediting the exceptional musical training at St Patrick’s Parochial School for his early formation. He later studied organ at MacPhail College (Minneapolis) and the University of Minnesota, and received honorary doctorates from the University of St Thomas (1989) and General Theological Seminary (1994).

Proulx’s career began at the Church of the Holy Childhood in St Paul, where he served for fifteen years. He subsequently directed music at St Thomas Church, Seattle (1970–1980), and for two decades at the Cathedral of the Holy Name, Chicago. An active educator, he led workshops across the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, and Switzerland.

Over five decades Proulx composed more than 300 works, ranging from choral and instrumental pieces to major compositions such as the church opera The Pilgrim, Concerto for Organ and Strings, and The Child’s Book of Beasts. His widely sung liturgical pieces include the harmonisation of I Received the Living God and the Community Mass. He contributed to Hymnal 1982, The New Yale Hymnal, and numerous GIA publications.

In 1991 he founded The Cathedral Singers, an independent ensemble that released over twenty recordings and performed internationally. His music also appeared in secular contexts, including the film scores for The Golden Door and The Devil’s Own, and the 1971 Union Pacific Railroad theme.

Closely linked to Saint John’s University (Minnesota), where he studied Gregorian chant and later taught, Proulx received the Pax Christi Award in 1998. His personal archive, including manuscripts and published works, is preserved at the university’s Alcuin Library.

Richard Proulx died in Chicago on 18 February 2010. His extensive legacy in sacred and concert music continues to resonate worldwide.