Estudió clarinete con el profesor John Davies, obteniendo el premio August Manns por su excelente interpretación, composición con Timothy Baxter y dirección de orquesta con Maurice Miles. Posteriormente estudió pedagogía musical en la Universidad de Londres, donde fue alumno del profesor Keith Swanwick.
En la actualidad cuenta con más de seiscientas publicaciones sobre una amplia gama de temas relacionados con la educación musical. Su Music Teacher's Companion (coescrito con Richard Crozier) ganó el premio MIA al mejor libro nuevo del Reino Unido y su serie Improve Your Theory! recibió el Music Teacher Best Print Resource Award. Además, ha escrito numerosas obras, desde innumerables piezas educativas breves hasta siete conciertos, un ballet y una ópera infantil. También es coautor (con Anthony Meredith) de importantes biografías de Sir Malcolm Arnold (Malcolm Arnold: Rogue Genius), Malcolm Williamson (Malcolm Williamson: Mischievous Muse) y Sir Richard Rodney Bennett.
Escribe con regularidad para muchas de las principales revistas musicales internacionales, como Music Teacher, BBC Music Magazine, ABRSM's Libretto, la revista americana ICA, Piano Professional y ESTA Journal, y es muy solicitado como director de talleres y seminarios y como jurado en el Reino Unido y en todo el mundo. Paul también ha investigado sobre la educación musical especializada para personas de gran talento (entre sus alumnos se encuentra el prodigio del clarinete Julian Bliss), un interés que le ha llevado a numerosas instituciones musicales de todo el mundo.
Paul actúa con regularidad, a menudo en su cuarteto para voz, dos clarinetes y piano con Kathryn Knight, Jean Cockburn y Bethany Philips.
Es examinador y jurado, y con frecuencia se le pide que actúe como jurado en eventos nacionales, como el Chamber Music for Schools Competition, Music for Youth, el Joven Músico del Año de la BBC y el profesor del año de Classic FM. En 2006, el compromiso de Paul con la música de Malcolm Arnold llevó a la creación de un Festival Malcolm Arnold anual en Northampton, ciudad natal del compositor. Bajo su dirección, este apasionante festival explora y celebra la música de uno de los grandes compositores británicos de nuestra era en un fin de semana repleto de conciertos, conferencias y películas.
Paul ha creado y sigue desarrollando el Aprendizaje Simultáneo. Este aclamado enfoque de la enseñanza instrumental y de canto ha encontrado apoyo en todo el mundo. Las innovadoras técnicas de enseñanza de Paul combinan minuciosidad, imaginación y sentido práctico, cualidades que definen su excelente trabajo.
After studies at the Royal Academy of Music and the University of London, Paul Harris has now established an international reputation as one of the UK's leading educationalists.
He studied the clarinet with Professor John Davies, winning the August Manns Prize for outstanding performance, composition with Timothy Baxter and conducting with Maurice Miles. He then went on to study music education at the University of London where he was a pupil of Professor Keith Swanwick.
He now has over six hundred publications to his name dealing with a vast array of subjects within the sphere of music education. His Music Teacher's Companion (co-written with Richard Crozier), won the UK's MIA Best New Book award and his series 'Improve Your Theory!' the Music Teacher Best Print Resource Award. In addition he has written many works ranging from countless short education pieces to seven concertos, a ballet and a children's opera. He has also co-authored (with Anthony Meredith) major new biographies of Sir Malcolm Arnold, (Malcolm Arnold: Rogue Genius), Malcolm Williamson, (Malcolm Williamson: Mischievous Muse) and Sir Richard Rodney Bennett.
He writes regularly for many of the major international music magazines, including Music Teacher, BBC Music Magazine, the ABRSM's Libretto, and the American ICA journal, Piano Professional, ESTA Journal, and is in great demand as a workshop and seminar leader and adjudicator in the UK, and across the globe. Paul has also undertaken research into specialist music education for the highly talented (the clarinet prodigy Julian Bliss number among his pupils), an interest that has taken him to many musical institutions around the world.
Paul performs regularly, often in his quartet for voice, two clarinets and piano with Kathryn Knight, Jean Cockburn and Bethany Philips.
He is an examiner and adjudicator and is frequently asked to adjudicate in national events including the Chamber Music for Schools Competition, Music for Youth, the BBC Young Musician of the Year, and Classic FM's teacher of the year. In 2006, Paul's commitment to the music of Malcolm Arnold led to the creation of an annual Malcolm Arnold Festival in the composer's hometown of Northampton. Under his directorship, this exciting festival explores and celebrates the music of one of the great British composers of our age in a packed weekend of concerts, lectures and films.
Paul has created and and continues to develop "Simultaneous Learning". This highly acclaimed approach to instrumental and singing teaching has found support all over the world. Paul's innovative teaching techniques combine thoroughness, imagination and practicality, the defining qualities of his outstandingly successful work.
