RESUME
&BIO
Paul grew up on Long Island and began exploring music slowly by ear. Their early training came from the low brass section of the school band. At this time they participated in a variety of bands and orchestras including an Eastern European tour and a performance at Carnegie Hall. They studied music education at SUNY Fredonia but primarily focused on jazz and classical piano studies. Also at this time they began writing music and producing recordings at the school studios.
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After graduation in 2016 they moved to Buffalo, NY where they began freelancing as a musician. They were hired by the University of Buffalo to accompany ballet and modern classes. While living in Buffalo they also worked as a musical theater director, jazz lounge pianist and singer-songwriter. Highlights of this time include mixed media theater performances at Nietzche's, jazz performances at Pausa Art House, and starting their own band called "the Everythingness" which released a self-titled EP in 2017.
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In 2018 they moved to Chicago and began accompanying dance at the major Chicago movement studios including Hubbard Street Dance and the Ruth Page Center for the Arts. During this period they honed in on their skills as a professional pianist, perfecting their technique and learning a variety of covers and writing more original songs. With the onset of the 2020 pandemic Paul turned his focus to recording and produced a set of EPs featuring original songs and soundscapes. For a brief period in 2021 Paul moved to Austin, TX where they worked with Ballet Austin, Ventana Ballet and performed with the band "Deja Vibes".
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After returning to Chicago Paul began accompanying dance at the Joffrey Ballet and Northwestern University. In 2023 they were hired by The Second City theater in Chicago as music director for the BlueCo touring ensemble. He is consistently writing and recording new music and collaborating with dancers, musicians and comedians across Chicago and beyond.
MANAGER OF SOTTNIK MUSIC AND MELA COLLECTIVE
creating projects since 2015
COMPOSER
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"Wormhole" 2023
for Echo Modern Dance Collective
(contemporary dance music video collaboration with Emma Parssi)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwW0twtxD2E
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"A Murder in the Court of Xanadu" 2022
for A Theater in the Dark
(Background music for a fictional radio play / podcast about political schemings in the mountain kingdom of Xanadu)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VchVv67VkfY
"A Matter of Red Herrings" 2022
for A Theater in the Dark
(Background music for comedy radio play / podcast about noir detectives in Chicago 1929)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lk8fPBFhbpI
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"Slate" 2022
for Echo Modern Dance Collective
(contemporary dance music video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9r_zbhJ457U
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MUSIC DIRECTOR / PIANIST
"Senza Fine" 2023
Second City Chicago "BlueCo" 2023
“Ballad of Left and Crabbe” (Workshop) Understudy Theater 2019
“Barney the Elf” Pride Arts Center 2018
“A Charlie Brown Christmas” Buffalo’s Theater of Youth 2017
“Guys and Dolls” 17’ and “Beauty and the Beast” 18’ at Catherine O’hara HS
“Beauty and the Beast” and “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Please Change” Cobblestone Arts Center 2017
“Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat” 16’ at Theater in the Mist
"420 The Musical" 2016 and 2017
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ONE ON ONE MUSICAL COACHING
CHICAGO, IL 2022-2023
LRYIQ Music School
and freelance
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BALLET CLASS ACCOMPIANIST
CHICAGO, IL 2018-2023
Joffrey Ballet
Hubbard Street Dance
Ruth Page Center for the Arts
Northwestern University
Common Conservatory
Chicago Movement Collective
Visceral Dance Center
Chicago High Scool for the Arts
Hyde Park School of Dance
Chicago Ballet Arts
Dance Works Chicago
Ballet Chicago
AUSTIN, TX 2021
Ballet Austin
Dance Institute
Community Ballet
BUFFALO, NY 2016-2018
University of Buffalo
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CONTEMPORARY CLASS ACCOMPIANIST
CHICAGO, IL 2018-2021
Joffrey Ballet
Chicago High Scool for the Arts
Hyde Park School of Dance
AUSTIN, TX 2021
University of Texas
BUFFALO, NY 2016-2018
University of Buffalo
TAP CLASS ACCOMPANIST
CHICAGO, IL 2022
Northwestern Univeristy
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ASSOCIATED ENSEMBLES
Mela Ensemble
Nude BBQ Chicago, IL
Side Alley Groove Machine Chicago, IL
Deja Vibes Austin, TX
Soulfire and the Eternal Flame Austin, TX
Trust This Ghost Chicago, IL
Ponder Buffalo, NY
All'amore Jamestown, NY
The Everythingness Buffalo, NY
Bobby Skrzypek and the Pedestrians Western, NY
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PERFORMED AT
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810 Meadworks Medina, NY
Alcove Cantina Round Rock, TX
Angels Icehouse Spicewood, TX
Barrow Brewing Salado, TX
Bucktown Garden Festival (2019) Chicago, IL
Caffeine Underground NYC
Capitol Theater** Madison, WI
Color Club Chicago, IL
Daily Planet Cafe Buffalo, NY
Davenport's Piano Bar Chicago, IL
Duke Family Performance Hall** Davidson, NC
Erie Maritime Museum Erie, PA
Funk and Waffles Syracuse, NY
Gallery Cabaret Chicago, IL
Gichi-ziibi Center for the Arts** Brainerd, MN
Hotel ZaZa Austin, TX
Infringement Festival (2017) Buffalo, NY
Kalahari Resort Round Rock, TX
La Macchina Evanston, IL
Livewire Lounge Chicago, IL
Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts** Menomonie, WI
Maggie Mae's Leander, TX
Merge Buffalo, NY
Mohawk Place Buffalo, NY
Mojo's Jamestown, NY
Montalvo Arts Center** Montalvo, CA
Montrose Saloon Chicago, IL
Navy Pier Chicago, IL
Nietzche's Buffalo, NY
NeWorlDeli Austin, TX
Parish Public House Albany, NY
Pausa Art House Buffalo, NY
Performing Arts Center** San Luis Obispo, CA
Petterino's Chicago, IL
Piano's NYC
Pflutto's Tavern Pflugerville, TX
Radio Bean Burlington, VT
Sheldon Theatre** Red Wing, MN
Slyfest (2017) Western New York
South Fork Food and Brew Georgetown, TX
Starry Night Cafe Rochester, NY
Stewart Theater NCSU** Raleigh, NC
Stone Church Newmarket, NH
Sylvie's Chicago, IL
The 9th Ward Buffalo, NY
The Basement Long Island, NY
The Bug Jar Rochester, NY
The Cavern Toronto, ON
The Elbo Room Chicago, IL
The Gypsy Parlour Buffalo, NY
The Hide Out Long Island, NY
The Kimmel Center (Perelman)** Philadelphia, PA
The Second City** Chicago, IL
The Stumblin Inn Elba, NY
Thin Man Brewery Buffalo, NY
Uncommon Ground Chicago, IL
Wine on Hertal Buffalo, NY
WTF Austin, TX
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**with The Second City Chicago
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PERFORMED ON
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"Major/Minor" by Chris Kremer 2022
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"Sticky Gumbo" by Cyndi Stark 2021
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"Before We Go..." by Trust This Ghost 2020
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"Mela Two" 2019
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"The Everythingness" 2017
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"Mela" 2016
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"Gin and Yonic" by Yonic 2015
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