Paul Tanner has a Bachelor of Music (Honours 1A) and Master of Music from the University of Western Australia. In 1991 he was the recipient of an Australian Postgraduate Research Award, and travelled to San Diego to study with virtuoso percussion soloist, Steve Schick. He then spent five months in Latin America, where he attended the Folk Cuba workshops (Havana, Cuba) and Carnivale (Olinda, Brasil). In 1997, he travelled through Ghana, Burkina Faso, Mali and Zimbabwe, furthering his study of percussion music of the world.
Paul plays marimba/vibes for his original world/jazz quintet Scope, percussion in Nova new music ensemble, and latin percussion in various bands and recording studios. He also works with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra (including time as Acting Principal) and teaches percussion at the University of Western Australia. Paul is Perth’s most in demand freelance percussionist, playing with visiting shows, choirs and other ensembles.
Press:
“. . .The third Australian work was Nigel Westlake’s Fabian Theory for Marimba with digital delay - an intriguing echo treatment of the luscious Marimba sound - played with effortless skill by Paul Tanner. . .”
Lynne Mitchell, The West Australian
“. . . Joseph Schwantner’s Velocities. It’s a tricky exercise in perpetual motion to which Tanner brought an impressive mallet technique, summoning myriad tonal shadings and investing even the meanest arabesque with a lyrical quality. Tanner was the star of the evening.”
Neville Cohn, The West Australian
“The high point of an evening of new music. . .was a stunning account from percussionist Paul Tanner of Rebonds by Xenakis.”
Neville Cohn, The Australian
“. . .this ingenious transformation worked like a treat. . .The sheer variety of sounds that Tanner produced was exhilarating. . . Antipodean confidence and this was very refreshing.”
Tim Panting, Classical Guitar Magazine (UK)
“. . . an earlier work by the Greek composer, Iannis Xenakis, titled Rebonds. . . Paul Tanner negotiated the work beautifully. Not only was his performance technically very good but it was sensitive and poised. . .”
Stuart Hille, The West Australian
“May I say yet again what a fine percussionist Paul Tanner is. As a soloist or in ensemble, he invariably demonstrates an above-average physical command of a range of instruments, with musicianship to match. . .”
Neville Cohn, The West Australian
“. . . For sheer musicality, Paul Tanner on marimba and Stephen Richter on vibraphone, earn laurels for their account, sensitive to the score’s subtlest nuances, of Scandinavian composer Anders Koppel’s Toccata.
“This was engrossing, with spiderweb-delicate arabesques presented with a seeming nonchalance that belied the extraordinary skill brought to bear on the work. And as the duo bobbed and weaved to the work’s rhythms, the score’s engaging contrapuntal obeisances to Bach were handled with a mallet-wielding skill that made this far and away the highwater mark of the program.”
Neville Cohn, The West Australian
