Paul Winchester Music

In booking me for an event, you get a consummate music professional. What that means is you can be as involved or hands off as you like in the music preparation and either way, you will get a first-rate performance.

If you want to be heavily involved in the planning, I am capable of arranging, preparing, and performing just about any song in a way that is appropriate to your event. This includes performing the classics, but also more outside-the-box requests, such as turning Elvis' "Blue Hawaii" into a romantic piano ballad for a wedding, performing Macklemore's "Thrift Shop" with a beat supplied by the audience at a celebration of life, and arranging the Star Wars Cantina Band theme for string quartet for a reception. I will be in clear communication throughout so that you have a solid sense of expectations and direction to ensure that those match your original desires. Finally, if your goals involve multiple musicians, whether those be other professionals or friends and family who want to be involved in the event, I'm well-practiced in both leading and collaborating with musicians of all varieties and ability levels.

On the other hand, if you don't have specific ideas in mind for the musical content of your event, you can simply hand the reigns over to me and trust that you will get a quality set list that is artfully performed. Your initial input could range from a feeling to a theme to a single song that you want me to build a set or program around. From there, I will pull together songs that fit that initial direction, all while keeping in communication with you to ensure that our interpretation of the vision is the same.

In the planning process, I am also very flexible, and I understand that life events or even just last-minute realizations can mean late changes to the musical content. Even up until a few days before the even, I am generally able to accommodate any reasonable request, ensuring that you get the music you most want, and not locking you into what you thought you wanted months before.

On the day of the event, I will arrive prepared and composed, and present myself in a manner best fitting with the tone of your event. For more somber gatherings, you will receive the utmost professionalism and respect from me. If you want a more casual feel to the day, I'm also perfectly happy to mingle, chat with guests or family members, and "blend in," all while maintaining a professional air. The performance itself will, of course, be technically and musically well-prepared, but also have a feel of sincerity with a genuine and personal connection to your audience and the spirit of your event.

I've been working as a professional musician for over 10 years now, serving as a worship leader, singer, actor, accompanist, fill-in player, composer, arranger, pianist, guitarist, producer, conductor, and many other roles.

I received my B. Mus. in Music Composition from The College of Wooster in 2011, where I also received the Pi Kappa Lambda music prize. During that time I also worked as a choral scholar for First Presbyterian Church of Wooster, OH, the music coordinator for the College of Wooster Office of Interfaith Campus Ministries, and as an independent gigging musician and music teacher. In 2013, I received my M. Mus. in Music Composition from Syracuse University, where I received the Brian Israel Prize in Composition and the College of Visual and Performing Arts Masters Prize. I also continued my work as an independent gigging musician while also serving as a performer or music director for two campus ministries and two area churches.

I have performed as an actor, singer, and instrumentalist. As an actor, I've held roles such as Avram in "Rags" at Interlochen Arts Academy, Gaston in "Beauty and the Beast," Man 2 in "Songs for a New World," and Cliff in "Cabaret." I have performed and recorded with numerous bands such as The Winchester and Weaver Family Band, Freddie Cool, and Shivogitt as a bassist, guitarist, and vocalist, and have also performed in several pit bands for musicals such as "The Music Man," "Tick, Tick…Boom!," and "Seussical." I am currently a member of The Singers: Minnesota Choral Artists.

In addition to my music career, I am also a professional game developer. I'm currently freelancing after working for 3 years with Fantasy Flight Games in Roseville, where I served on the development team for and subsequently served as lead designer and producer for the product line of Star Wars: Imperial Assault, winner of the 2016 Board Game of the Year Origin Award.

I am currently the Music Director of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Minnetonka, where I accompany services and perform most weeks on voice, piano, and/or guitar and lead a vibrant group of congregational musicians in both classical and popular music.