Brass Tutor

Paul Baker

Paul started his musical education at the age of 7 when he joined Barnet Parish Church Choir in London, UK as a treble and rose to become Head Chorister gaining the prestigious Saint Nicholas Award from The Royal School of Church Music. At the age of 9 he took up piano and started playing the French Horn at 14.

At 16 Paul joined the Royal Marines School of Music and spent the next 10 years as a French horn and piano player with The Bands of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines. During this time he gained Licentiates of Music from both Trinity College London and the Royal Academy of Music in conducting and composition and French horn performance respectively. He also composed the official quick march – Up Periscope - for Her Majesty’s Royal Naval Submarine Service and served aboard HM Royal Yacht Britannia for several tours with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth and other members of the British Royal Family.

After leaving the service he embarked on a career as a freelance French horn player and jazz/light pianist and has since played with many of the major European orchestras including the Oslo Philharmonic, the Stockholm Radio Orchestra, The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, The Royal Philharmonic and the Welsh National Opera to name but a few. He also had a busy schedule playing for West End musicals and TV and radio work and has recorded and performed with such stars as George Michael, Tom Jones and Shirley Bassey. In 1990 Paul founded Wessex Brass Quintet and toured the UK and Europe extensively over the next few years. He was also in high demand as a conductor and musical director for brass bands, choirs and musicals and has been musical director for over 30 musicals and oratorios.

Despite his busy musical schedule, Paul managed to develop a successful parallel career in business and in 2005 he moved to Malaysia to establish an international land and property company which soon grew to six offices across South East Asia. He recently resigned from the group to concentrate once more on full time music and is now busy teaching brass and piano and performing in chamber concerts and recitals. In October 2009 he founded and is ongoing Musical Director of ‘Harmonia’, already regarded by many as one of the finest mixed choir in Malaysia. Harmonia gave its debut performance with Handel’s Messiah in December 2009 and received outstanding reviews.