Paul McGhee was born in Corby, Northamptonshire in 1980.  He started to learn Tuba at age 13 whilst attending Beanfield Comprehensive School and quickly progressed – joining Youth Brass 2000 and Travelsphere Holidays Band, where he played at some of Europe’s most famous venues.

Paul studied composition at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama with Andrew Wilson-Dickson.  Whilst studying there he won numerous composition prizes, and was one of four composers selected for the RNCM Festival of Brass Young Composers prize at the 2006 festival. 

 Since graduating, his music has continued to be played throughout the world at concerts, competitions and festivals (including RNCM Festival of Brass, Arcomis Brass Festival, Cardiff Festival of Brass and the BrassWind Festival in Norway). 

In 2010 his first test-piece, ‘Waiting for a Pain Hit!??!!?’, was used at the Swiss National Brass Band Championships in Montreux as the championship section set-test.  In 2012 he received first prize at European Composers competition in Rotterdam with his piece, ’Lullaby’ and in 2014 and 2016 he received the best new composition/arrangement award at the Brass in Concert Championships for his works, ‘Monet on the Embankment’ and ‘Pandemic 1349’.

In both 2013 and 2014 Paul was shortlisted in the Brass Band/Wind Band category at the prestigious British Composer Awards (BASCA) for his works ‘His Sympathy’ and ‘Kjeden’.