PAUL SHAW–Jamaican Virtuoso
PAUL SHAW–Private & Public Performances–Classical & Caribbean Repertoire
Hailed by The New York Times as “both a virtuoso with herculean technical command and a sensitive introspective artist,” Jamaican pianist Paul Shaw has appeared in recital and chamber music performances and as a soloist with orchestras on three continents, inspiring appreciative audiences and music critics alike in Asia, Europe and the Americas.
"Paul performed for a special fundraiser party for us in Minneapolis and he was sensational. He brought the house down! What an incredible pianist, with so much emotional warmth and such technical mastery! Thank you Paul!"–Joan Holman, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Paul Shaw is available to book for:
–Solo performances
–Chamber performances
–Fundraising events
–Private parties
–Private events
And Paul can tailor a program to your special needs, including creating custom programs that combine performance with a lecture or music education.
In addition to his classical repertoire, Paul can perform from an interesting and diverse selection of Caribbean composers as well as his own transcriptions of Caribbean music.
Caribbean Music
"Many scholars believe that the Spanish-speaking Caribbean, much like Western Europe, has a tradition of composition because the Catholic Church encouraged the writing of liturgical music. This line of scholarly thinking also holds that in the English-speaking Caribbean, the British valued musicians for their ability to perform and entertain rather than to write.
Shaw, a native of Jamaica, has a different idea. 'I'm a product of this, and I know some of the struggles, things I've had to wrestle with,' he says. In the English-speaking Caribbean, Shaw sees fractions in the community of musicians and scholars. Some embrace Western Europe music and disregard folk and indigenous music. Others believe the Western Europe tradition is completely irrelevant to the Caribbean. This, he believes, silences the creative spirit among musicians. 'What you find is that musicians are sometime musicians. They might play for an evening somewhere, on the side. But they have day jobs, which have nothing to do with music. The high creative level doesn't have a chance to develop.'"–MINNESOTA MAGAZINE