Paul Barton

Paul Barton is a guitar player, singer-songwriter, song leader, and teacher. After getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Contemporary Music from Humber College, he gained practical experience in many fields,  including film scoring, musical theatre, live performance, and recording. During his 14 years living in Toronto, he performed and recorded music with a variety of bands, in genres ranging from Jazz, to experimental electronic, to pop. 

Paul has taught music throughout his life. After reflecting on his teaching experiences, he wrote a book about his teaching philosophy, called The Language Of Music: Practical Exercises for Self-Expression. The book is available for free online: https://languageofmusic.ca/

He is passionate about giving students the skills to learn any song by ear, and improvise whatever music they hear in their head. When he teaches, he aims for a balance between short-term fun (i.e. learning songs the students like), and long-term skill building.

In recent years, Paul has focused his musical attention on creating inclusive singing spaces for people of all abilities. He co-leads the Fiercely Ok Singing Community in Kingston, Ontario, with his partner Steph Drouin. He also writes songs for the community to sing. His songs, infused with his passions for the environment, community, and mental health, are among the most requested songs in the Fiercely OK singing community.