"I’m Paul and I'm a recent and very happy transplant to New York! For the past twenty years I lived in San Francisco, where I taught piano at the University of San Francisco as an adjunct professor and worked widely as a collaborative pianist. I’ve had the joy of performing with Sacred & Profane, Sing for America, Songbird City Choir, 21V, Volti, and serving as organist and bass singer at St. Thomas Anglican Church. I also worked with Lamplighters Musical Theatre, SFArtsEd, SF Choral Society, Young Women’s Choral Projects, and many other organizations as a pianist, coach, and teacher.

I hold degrees in anthropology and German from the University of Georgia, where I later studied music and began my career as a collaborative pianist. In 2014 I recorded Mozart Klar, a one-take album of Mozart’s piano sonatas in C major.

I like to describe myself as a “recovering classical pianist.” I had a strict musical upbringing and a narrow, unkind teacher. It took me years to rediscover joy and curiosity at the piano, and helping my students keep hold of those qualities is my top priority.

These days my focus is on creativity at the piano—especially composing, improvisation, and jazz—alongside the classical repertoire I still love deeply. My favorite students are curious older children and adults who are absolute beginners, those coming back to the piano after time away, and anyone hoping to heal from difficult early musical experiences (why is there so much of that?!). Most of all, I love working with people who want to connect with music in a way that feels meaningful and joyful and thus sustainable throughout their lives." less...