Born in Texas in 1947, Mauldin moved to New Mexico in 1971 for “the space, the light and the timelessness”. He completed a Master of Music in composition at the Univerisity of New Mexico, served as President of the New Mexico Music Teachers Association and the New Mexico Composers Guild, and as Student Composition Chair of the Music Teachers National Association. For seven years, he served as Music Director of the Albuquerque Boy Choir, which grew to three choirs, 85 boys ages 7–17, who regularly tour and record.

His choral compositions, for children and adults, have sold thousands of copies in the USA, Europe and Australia. He conducted the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra in 2000 to prepare five of his orchestral works for the compact disc, “Enchanted Land”. As a private teacher, public speaker, clinician and performer, he actively promotes private and public arts-education throughout the country and is an outspoken advocate for the rights of children.