At the urging of his family, Mulder started learning music at the age of 6. He hailed from a lineage of distinguished musical ability, as his uncle was among the most renowned organists, conductors, and composers in the Netherlands during his era. During his childhood, after attending Sunday church services with his family — both of his grandfathers served as pastors in prominent Dutch Reformed churches — Mulder would return home and begin transcribing the notes he remembered from various organ pieces he had heard. “They never took me seriously and thought that it was impossible to write it down from memory. But I had faith in it, and that’s what matters,” he recounted.

Mulder was the sole sibling to follow a professional path in music, and he progressed to learning from a distinguished instructor from Romania, whom he considered “a blessing.” She saw Mulder’s exceptional abilities early and supported his admission to the Rotterdam conservatory. At that institution, Mulder focused on piano, organ, and composition, positioning him favorably for a career in music.

Mulder is highly committed to his art and views his abilities as a blessing from God. He has created over 1,000 compositions and released more than 200 albums of music during the initial ten years of his career alone. The majority featured choirs and orchestras backing him on the piano.

Mulder creates his compositions for a diverse audience. He boasts several albums of non-religious music, frequently brimming with feelings and romantic motifs. In 2012, however, Mulder redirected his focus to crafting spiritual inspirational music. “Somehow, I envisioned the concept of producing a solo album featuring only hymns,” he shared. This led to the inception of the “Love Divine” album series, the seventh installment of which Mulder planned to record this year in London before the pandemic forced a postponement of those plans.

Mulder, a devout member of a Baptist congregation close to his residence, did not specifically aim to shift toward Christian music so explicitly. However, following the debut of the initial “Love Divine” album, he stated that it became evident that God had different intentions.

“I didn’t devise a strategy for several albums, but we simply created the first one,” he stated. “Due to its positive reception, it was … a significant sign from above that we needed to pursue this further.”

The Christian music that Mulder creates, performs and records showcases a blend of both traditional and modern hymns. Included are timeless, classic, and consistently cherished hymns like “Amazing Grace,” “How Great Thou Art,” and “Holy God, We Praise Your Name.” On each of these, he leaves his distinct interpretation. Within his collection, Catholics will discover beloved selections such as “Ave Maria” (Caccini) and “Lead, Kindly Light” (lyrics by St. John Henry Newman), among others. He also presents his personal interpretations of contemporary Christian hits such as “Above All” and “In Christ Alone.” Additionally, Mulder is deeply devoted to the right-to-life cause and composed a piece titled “Heartbeat” for “Love Divine VI” as a tribute to the pro-life movement.

Although Mulder is concerned that he might exhaust his resources over time, he continues to discover additional hymns to explore. He also pays attention to his audience, factoring in their desires for what they wish to hear.

“As long as there are listeners, I will keep creating and recording new works,” he mentioned. While expressing his sadness that “people don’t appreciate classical” music, Mulder notes that they do relish soundtracks from movies like “Harry Potter.” Therefore, Mulder reveals his secret to composing: “That’s my approach, [to create] like film music; it’s enjoyable for everyone, of all ages.”

Mulder’s compositions are distinguished by their intricacy, richness, and allure, making repeated listens reveal new elements each time. “I never write one note too many,” he remarked. Mulder mentioned that he aims to create music “as high quality as possible, so that experts can claim this is truly premium material,” but he also composes “for a diverse audience, so you don’t have to possess a musical education to appreciate it or find enjoyment in it. … I aim to craft it for everyone. That’s quite challenging, [and] that’s why it requires months to develop new pieces.”

Mulder’s creative process starts with jotting down thoughts in notes every few days and refining them after keeping them in a desk drawer. Despite the fact that the majority of his recordings lack melodies, the words for the hymns hold significant value to Mulder, as he wishes is the case for his listeners.

“The words are extremely, extremely significant,” he stated. “I aim to convey the essence of the words. That is somewhat challenging to achieve. I include the words in all the booklets that come with the CDs. Every chord I utilize holds significance. If there is a joyful word, I employ a joyful chord at that time. If it pertains to angels soaring through the sky, you can sense their flight.”

Typically, Mulder requires around two weeks to create a composition, starting with solely the piano segment. Following that, he develops arrangements for a 65-piece orchestra, which are intricate and labor-intensive. However, the pandemic has provided Mulder with the chance to spend additional time on his craft. “I’ve never created as much in my lifetime,” he remarked. His forthcoming album, “Love Divine VII,” when recorded, will feature approximately two CDs’ worth of music.

Mulder stated that his songwriting is the result of a period of prayer.

“If there’s something standing between you and God, then you’re facing a challenge, a barrier,” he stated. “I feel I have a significant purpose to write, or to record, or to share [his music] with the world or with Christians and those who have yet to embrace Christianity.” He expressed that a key aspect of his mission is to guide others towards God — particularly those who might be unaware of him or feel distant from him. “This is why I also release my secular albums,” he mentioned. “Some individuals come to know me through those and later have the opportunity to discover the Christian music and reflect on the lyrics. Perhaps that motivates them to attend church.”

For Mulder, his job isn’t focused on individual recognition.

“I don’t compose pieces for the sake of receiving applause,” he stated. “When I perform live, I feel awkward when the audience claps. I don’t require much of that. It’s not created to earn a standing ovation.”

Instead, he feels he was designed to engage in this distinct ministry.

“We are present for a purpose. I lack any other skills. I have nothing else to pursue. If I don’t engage in this, I possess nothing. Therefore,” he chuckled, “I am also compelled to do this.”

Mulder’s compositions and arrangements elevate the human spirit and intellect toward God. Many who appreciate his music do so for this very reason.

“That’s the greatest praise I could receive,” he remarked. “A lot of individuals feel a stronger connection to God when they hear my music.”

Michael R. Heinlein is editor of OSV’s Simply Catholic. He writes from Indiana.