This page gives a summary of Paul's work as an educator. If you need a biography for a programme note, or for publicity & promotion, please contact Paul for the latest version, or use the wording available at the "biographies" page of this website [click here].
Paul Ayres studied music at Oxford University, graduating with a first-class honours degree in 1991. Since then he has worked freelance as composer-arranger, choral conductor & accompanist.
Composer/Musical Director, ‘School of Baroque’, Foundling Museum
three-day course for 8-12-year-olds, involving the children in writing, composing, staging, playing, singing and acting a mini-opera, Handel’s Water Inspiration
Workshop leader, Handel House Museum
one-day composition project, Reworking Handel’s Messiah, with teenaged music students from RNIB
Musician, Snap Theatre Company ‘Dreamworld’ projects
one-day theatre workshops in 10 primary schools (Herts/Essex), involving singing, playing and improvising
Leader, Schools Composition Project, London Festival of Contemporary Church Music
working with 50 children in 2 primary schools in St Pancras, London, and mentoring 10 students from Thames Valley University, leading towards professional performance of children’s and students’ work
Music Competition Adjudicator, Bishop’s Stortford College, Lady Eleanor Holles School, Tormead School
offering advice, adjudication and prizes…
Visiting Composer, Newstead Wood School
leading workshops and advising students on GCSE/A-level composition work
Composer/Musical Director, Gallions Primary School
5 consecutive projects at this ArtsMark school: musical Scheherezade commissioned as part of London Arts Board’s residency programme 1000 artists in 1000 places; two composer-in-education projects, The Great Water and Gallions Symphony funded by the Performing Right Society Foundation / Youth Music; opera The Stolen Moon commissioned by Arts Council’s Creative Partnerships
Essex County Youth Choir, Norfolk County Youth Choir
tutor on residential courses for young singers, age range 10-18
Musical Director, Wycombe Swan Youth Theatre
fully-staged musicals (Godspell, Alice in Wonderland, Pendragon) at the Town Hall, High Wycombe
cast of 80-100, aged 7-18, band/orchestra also made up of young people
Conductor, Ealing Youth Choir, Hanwell Children’s Choir, Walbrook Singers
classical treble voice choirs (boys and girls)
Composer/Musical Director, Compass Theatre Ickenham
while at school, Paul wrote a new musical The Gentile and MD-ed the cast of 40, all of whom were under 21
deputy conductor/leader/accompanist for Cantate Youth Choir, New London Children’s Choir, Finchley Children’s Music Group, Royal School of Church Music residential courses, Constellation Youth Theatre, various Stagecoach schools and for many other groups
teacher/tutor for private piano, organ, composing, conducting and arranging students,
and for classes in music theory and aural skills