Paul currently works at Cardiff University School of Music as a practical tutor teaching undergraduate and postgraduate students. In addition, he works as ensemble coach and as part the School of Music’s Piano Collaboration Project and, for the first time this year, has accompanied students on the piano at end of year and final recitals.
In 2025, Paul was admitted as Fellow of the London College of Music for his pioneering research on the profound changes experienced by the human voice during adolescence and menopause and the implications for the student and teacher. He is director of an online consultancy supporting menopausal/postmenopausal women designing bespoke care pathways to identify strategies to mitigate the symptoms of voice mutation.
Educated at Chetham's, Paul won an entrance scholarship at seventeen to study at the Royal Northern College of Music He subsequently worked as a freelance musician with many professional ensembles including the Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields, extensive session work with the BBC and contracts with several opera companies and festivals at home and abroad which included five years at Scottish Opera. He has performed at some of Europe's most prestigious concert venues including Concertgebouw and Teater an der Wien in Vienna. Paul has performed on countless live radio broadcasts on BBC 4's Daily Service programme, choral evensong and live opera broadcasts on BBC Radio 3.
Paul is in constant demand as a vocal coach working with professional singers and advanced students seeking to audition at top schools and take higher qualifications. Paul is a practitioner of Estill Voice Training and holds Estill Figure Proficiency certification. He is currently working on the Estill Master Trainer pathway with senior tutors and professionals at RWCMD. He was elected as Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in 2017 and holds an MA in Voice Pedagogy in addition to diplomas in piano, pipe organ, music theory, composition and vocal performance. Paul was awarded the status of Certified Teacher of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (Voice) with the highest classification of Excellent in 2014 and passed the Licentiate Diploma of the Royal Schools of Music in Vocal Teaching with Distinction in 2024. In 2010 Paul succeeded Martin Hodson MBE as Musical Director of the Gwent Choral and conducted his inaugural concert with the choir and the Welsh Sinfonia in May 2011. Paul lives with his wife and fourteen year old son in South Wales. His interests, in the little free time he has, include spending time with his family, writing music, keeping fit and playing the piano.
Paul is extremely grateful to Meryl for her tolerance. strong musical and moral support, Martin Hodson for organising him all year round behind the scenes, the committee and the choristers for their patience, resilience, unerring commitment and good humour.
Meryl was born in the local area and began piano lessons at a young age. She attended local schools and developed her love of music at Newbridge Grammar School where her love of accompanying was nurtured.
Upon leaving school she studied music at Newton Park College, Bath and graduated from Bristol University. She then took up her first teaching post at St. Julian's High School, Newport.
After having a number of years looking after her two young children, she returned to teaching and spent the rest of her teaching career at Ty-Sign Primary School in Risca where she became Music Coordinator.
Meryl developed a very successful school choir also forming a great bond with Risca Male Choir. The children were given the opportunity to sing at prestigious venues and thousands of children were introduced to choral singing.
Now retired, Meryl is still heavily involved in local music making. She joined the choir in Crosskeys in 1993 and became the rehearsal accompanist soon after.
In 2015, Meryl became one of the first BBC Music Day Unsung Heroes for music in the community. She now wonders how she ever found the time to go to school!!