"Chamberlain's remarkable technique and the scope of his instrument shines throughout."
Musicians' Union Magazine Spring 2012
"The range of colour and dynamics and the variety of texture normally managed by the two hands and two feet of an organist with a plethora of stops was brilliantly shown in your performance... your command of the music was excellent and your relationship with the music total."
Norman Beedie
Paul Chamberlain / classical accordionist
Please contact daisy@classicalmusiciansscotland.com for further information or to book Paul Chamberlain.
Paul Chamberlain was one of the first classical accordionists to graduate from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow, where he studied with Djordje Gajic. He completed a BMus (Hons) degree and subsequently graduated from the conservatoire with a Master of Music Performance with Distinction. Whilst studying there he was awarded the acclaimed Governors’ Recital Prize for Keyboard, and was also one of the keyboard section finalists in the 2011 Royal Overseas League competition.
Paul is a highly accomplished player with appearances at international music festivals such as Baltica Harmonica in St. Petersburg – Russia, Sata-Häme Soi Accordion festival in Ikaalinen – Finland, the St Magnus Festival in Orkney and the world famous Edinburgh Fringe Festival, held annually in Scotland. He has also performed in France, Italy, Greece, Bahrain and the USA.
In 2011, Paul released his debut solo album entitled “Classical Accordion” featuring a mixture of transcriptions of works by J S Bach, Rameau, Moszkowski and Khachaturian, as well as original works by Alexander Nagayev and Franck Angelis.
He made his Bridgewater Hall debut with a solo recital as part of the long established Manchester Mid-Days concert series in 2013 and completed a major national tour of concerts in July 2014 to coincide with his CD release ‘Accordion Sensations’. The disc features a mixture of solo repertoire by Scarlatti, Zolotariev and Weber as well as and chamber works by Piazzolla for which Paul is joined on the recording by violinist Feargus Hetherington and the Maxwell String Quartet.
He has also performed with Ute Lemper and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, the Paragon Ensemble, Scottish Opera Connect orchestra, and is a founder member of the Scottish Tango Ensemble.
Paul has been featured on BBC Radio 3’s ‘In Tune’ programme with Sean Rafferty, performing live in the studio, BBC Radio Scotland’s ‘Classics Unwrapped’ and California’s KDFC Classical Music Radio Station in San Francisco.
Paul formed a successful duo Chamberlain & Haywood with multi-instrumentalist Michael Haywood (violin, soprano saxophone, whistle & clarinet) in 2014 and they perform a wide range of world music.
He also established HotScotch Ceilidh Band, a trio comprising accordion, fiddle and drums who provide Scottish traditional music for weddings, and corporate events around the UK and abroad.
Following a successful heart transplant in January 2022, Paul is now returning to performing and looking forward to a busy schedule in 2023 and beyond.
Original Repertoire
Sonata No 1 – Alexander Nagayev (b. 1947)
Capriccio – Albin Repnikov (b. 1932)
Prophetic Dream – Viatcheslav Semionov (b.1946)
Romance – Franck Angelis (b.1962)
Rassypucha – Victor Gridin (1943-1997)
Sonata No 2 – Vladislav Zolataryev (1942-1975)
Amalgame – Frank Angelis (b. 1962)
Botany Play – Torbjorn Lundquist (1920-2000)
Sonatina Piccola – Torbjorn Lundquist (1920-2000)
De Profundis – Sofia Gubaidulina (b.1931)
In the Zoo – Niels Viggo Bentzon (1919-2000)
Russian Dance – Georgy Shenderyov (1937-1984)
Bulgarian Suite – Viacheslav Semionov (b.1946)
Transcriptions
Toccata – Aram Khachaturian (1903-1978)
Asturias – Isaac Albeniz (1860-1909)
Aria di Figaro – Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868)
Concertstuk – Carl Maria Von Weber (1786-1826)
Prelude Fugue & Variation – Cesar Franck (1822-1890)
Toccata & Fugue in D Minor : BWV 565 – J. S. Bach (1685-1750)
Organ Prelude & Fugue in D Minor : BWV 554 – J. S. Bach (1685-1750)
Prelude & Fugue No 2 in C Minor – J. S. Bach (1685-1750)
Sonatas – Domenico Scarlatti (1685-1757)
Pieces de Clavichord – Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683 –1764)
Scherzo-Tarantella – Henryk Wieniawski (1835-1880)
Spanish Dance No. 5 – Enrique Granados (1867-1916)
Spanish Caprice – Moritz Moszkowski (1884-1925)
Gothic Suite – Léon Boëllmann (1862-1897)
Chamber music
Histoire Du Tango – Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992)
(accordion & flute)
In Croce – Sofia Gubaidulina (b.1931)
(accordion & cello)
Home From Home – Gareth Williams
(cimbalom, violin, flute, cello, clarinet, accordion & percussion)
Five Tango Sensations – Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992)
(accordion & string quartet)
Adagio and Rondo for Glass Harmonica K617 – W. A. Mozart (1756-1791)
(2 vln, vla, cello, accordion)
Bagatelles Op. 47 – Antonin Dvorak (1841-1904)
(accordion, 2 vln and cello)
Le Grand Tango – Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992)
(accordion & violin)
Ave Maria – Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992)
(flute & accordion)
Tango – Steven Goss (b.1964)
(clarinet, accordion, vibraphone, marimba, suspended cymbal and double bass)
The Wind is spreading the Echo over the Glade – Andrzej Krzanowski (1951-1990)
(accordion duo)
Pitt – John Hails (b.1978)
(trumpet, cello, double bass, mezzo soprano, accordion, percussion)
Feasgar Beatha – Ailig Hunter (b.1984)
(cello, double bass, accordion, vibraphone)
Concertos
Concerto in Bflat for Accordion – Nikolai Chaikin (1915 – 2000)
Performances
1.30 – 2.30 pm, Tuesday 9 March 2027: The Brunton Bite Size Concerts, Northesk Church, Musselburgh
Monday 11 August 2025: Ross Priory (private event)
Wednesday 6 December 2023, Royal Faculty of Procurators in Glasgow
Sunday 3 September 2023, Melrose Music Society
Friday 25 August 2023, Classic Music Live! Falkirk
Saturday 10 June 2023, Spire concert series, Glasgow with Michael Haywood
Friday 2 June 2023, Ross Priory, with Michael Haywood
