Paul Kikuchi is a percussionist, composer, and sound artist from Indianola, WA. After playing in rock bands as a youth, Paul went on to study music at Bennington College (BFA) and California Institute of the Arts (MFA). He currently works as a musician and educator in Seattle, WA.
Paul is involved in a wide variety of musical projects, ranging from percussion ensembles to experimental jazz quartets. Much of his work focuses on site-specific performances and recordings in unique acoustic environments such as abandoned train tunnels, nuclear cooling towers, underground cisterns, and historic train stations. He also constructs instruments that are utilized in his various projects, such as Portable Sanctuary, a Seattle-based group that he leads. Paul is the founder and artistic director of Prefecture Music, a small non-profit that advances the creation and understanding of contemporary music through performance, documentation, and education.
As a music educator Paul has taught at West Sound Academy, The American International School of Budapest, the Oakwood School and the Community Arts Partnership (Los Angeles). He is currently audio faculty at the Art Institute of Seattle, and also works with youth at The Wing Luke Museum and Jack Straw Productions in Seattle.
Paul’s work as a musician and composer has been recognized and supported by Seattle’s Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs, 4 culture, Artist Trust, Chamber Music America, the American Composer’s Forum, the Jack Straw Foundation, and the Montalvo Center for the Arts, among others. He has been featured in publications such as the Earshot Jazz Magazine and the International Examiner.
