Paul O’Connor

How long have you been teaching/playing professionally?

27 years

Whats your music education/qualification?

Performance Dip. LCM, ALCM London College of Music, University of West London. Various courses/lessons with multiple teachers, most notably with Berklee college of music in Boston. Presently doing an MA in community music in UL.

Any other non music related education/qualification?

I studied industrial/product design for two years but music took over.

What do you love about teaching?

Watching the progress of students, and the joy music can bring to their lives.

Who is your inspiration?

So many teachers/musicians I have worked with and learned from all over the world it would be hard to specify any one, but if I had to it would be Johnny Hockedy in Limerick School Of Music and the late John McGann in Berklee college of Music.

Other hobbies/interests?

A rugby and coffee fanatic.

Biography

Paul O’Connor is a guitarist from Limerick who’s just returned from nearly 10 years  in the UAE. He taught in some of Dubai and Abu Dhabi’s top international schools, while also maintaining a very active career as a freelance guitarist/band leader  in the region. He also performed  at such events as the F1, Emirates jazz festival, Dubai Sevens while also holding down residencies in venues like Jazz@pizzaexpress, Emirates palace and  Burj al Arab to name a few.

Prior to that, Paul taught for 10 years in Limerick school of music as well as the Northside Learning Hub and various other secondary and primary schools.

He holds an ALCM  electric performance diploma from the University of West London and will commence a masters degree in community music from the University of Limerick in September.
Paul specialises in rock, pop, blues and jazz on acoustic or electric guitar, with plenty of experience of teaching all ages and abilities. He  looks forward to welcoming new students to  the Mid-West Vocal Academy and Music School.