After graduating from Oxford University, Paul taught music (and a little maths) at New College Choir School. While there he created music for a staged version of The Hobbit, with the personal approval of J. R. R. Tolkien. While teaching music to students of all ages, his love of playing the piano has led him to perform in a variety of genres - concertos with orchestra, chamber music, solo recitals, even jazz.
As Director of Music for Duchy Opera in Cornwall he conducted many stage works, including his own opera The Hanging Oak. Working with Abbey Brass, a flexible ensemble based in the UK South West, has inspired a number of new compositions, notably A Ceremony of Psalms for SATB choir, organ, brass and percussion, recorded by FS Records. His Passion as told by Mark the Evangelist was broadcast on Radio 3 by the BBC Singers, while his choral arrangement of Vaughan Williams's The Lark Ascending has been widely performed, and was recorded by the Swedish Chamber Choir with the violinist Jennifer Pike. He has also enjoyed a long association with The King's Singers.
Paul's book, Unheard Melodies, a light-hearted guide to classical music for the non-specialist, is available from Amazon. His beginner's piano book (published by OUP) has sold 80,000 copies to date.