Paul Sylvan

Paul grew up and was educated in West Sussex in the South of England. In his early teens he was awarded a junior scholarship to The London College of Music where he continued his piano studies and took his first steps into the world of composing. After finishing school he studied piano design and construction and then went on to spend several years working on pianos in the prestigious concert halls and recording studios around London. On returning to his home town in Sussex he established his own piano restoration business. He continued to compose during this time and released his first two albums: Love Always Listens and Silent Witness. Writing and playing music was key in Paul’s life and, while he continued to write and play himself, he also recognized the therapeutic value that it could offer others. With the backing of a government grant he set up a music therapy centre working primarily with people with special needs. Fascinated by how the process of creative expression had such a positive effect on the lives of people using the centre, Paul looked further afield and began to notice how, in the wider community, personal creativity was often stifled by the demands and pace of modern-day life. Inspired to step back and find a simpler more natural way of living, and after having released his third album, Prayer, Paul and his wife, Lesley, packed up their lives in England, grabbed a tent, and set off on their bikes to explore the world. Over the next three-and-a-half years they cycled across the deserts of Australia, sailed around New Zealand, hiked the high mountain trails of the Himalayas and spent time in the Amazon rainforest. On arriving back in England, Paul and Lesley decided that in the long term, living in built up areas was not for them. In 2006, having fitted out a large river barge and loaded on all their music equipment, they moved on board and now live on the rivers and canals of rural England.