A warm but rather safe tribute to fandom and friendship.
Author: Paul Gray
→Paul is a 59-year-old academic, choral amanuensis/director, composer, counsellor, professional music reviewer (for www.reviewsgate.com) teacher-cum-trainer of teachers (all sectors) and a visiting, pool lecturer in music and music education within HE. Paul has 25yrs experience as a lecturer, senior lecturer and teaching fellow in HE in music and/or music education (all sectors).
Paul is also a mature PhD student of choral and vocal composition with Prof. Paul Mealor & colleagues at the University of Aberdeen.
Paul's career in higher education began in 1992 when the University of Birmingham appointed Paul as Academic Adviser & Lecturer in Music in Continuing Education (for 7yrs).
Paul continued as both an active academic & researcher in both music and/or music education at a variety of universities, including a Senior Lectureship at Birmingham City University, a Teacher Fellowship at Warwick University, other academic advisory roles in music and the creative arts at Lancaster University, and various other associate, research & visiting posts at the Universities of Birmingham, Manchester Metropolitan and Wolverhampton University.
Paul has also held various posts as a musical director of choirs. Paul was one of the leads for the development of the "Singing Communities" project for Youth Music. Paul has held choral scholarships at the Birmingham Oratory and St Chad's Metropolitan Cathedral (countertenor/bass), as well as spending the first six years of his career as a Head of Music in two large Comprehensive Schools in Canterbury, then in the West Midlands.
During his four years in Canterbury Paul was also an aspirant to the (catholic) Franciscan Friars Minor. It is this (now secular, non-aligned) Franciscan spirituality that lies behind much of Paul's work as a composer of choral music & vocal music.
Paul became disabled in 2004 and has a very beautiful & multi-talented guide-cum-assistance dog; a black lab called "JJ". Paul, together with his singer husband of 36yrs, David, enjoy times away in their tourer caravan, "Euphemia", as well as cooking & entertaining with friends, crafting, gardening, singing with "Rainbow Voices" - the LGBTQ+ choir Paul & David created in 1996 - and, of course, attending as many art musics concerts, events & festivals they can manage as reviewers for what is now the oldest online reviews site: www.reviewsgate.com
This year (2022) Paul was a resident music reviewer for the Three Choirs Festival, Hereford. He will be returning in the same role at next year's Festival in Gloucester. Similarly, Paul hopes to be a music reviewer in residence for the 50th Anniversary of the North Wales International Music Festival in September, and at the Bath Mozartfest in November.
Paul also reviews for the Birmingham Royal Ballet, Birmingham Bach Choir, the CBSO, Ex Cathedra & International Concert Series at Birmingham Town Hall & Symphony Hall. Together with David, Paul reviews dance, music, musical theatre and opera (mostly WNO) for all the main theatres in Birmingham.
If you are a music professional or professional organisation, and would like Paul to review something for you - for either ReviewsGate or elsewhere - just drop Paul a line at p.gray.20@abdn.ac.uk. This reviewing is voluntary and unpaid, and as Paul is a student, complimentary tickets to your event are always warmly welcome!