Paul Leggatt

Paul grew up in the North of England and began his musical life in the brass band tradition. Like many young cornet players, he dreamed of life as a professional trumpet player. After graduating from Bretton Hall, however, he took off to the Middle East to pursue a teaching career. The instrumental side still remained his first love and he soon gained a reputation as a band director and performer. In 1990 he returned to the UK where he became a brass specialist for Devon Youth Music, directing bands, teaching and playing professionally around the South West. Four years of the Devon mists was enough, and so off again to sunnier climes, first back to the Middle East and then on to Asia.

Paul now teaches music across the age range from Kindergarten to grade 12 in an American Curriculum International School in Thailand, along with his wife Sandra. His writing began to evolve around 2000. The first musical, Marciel's Mathematical Multiplication was written for his eldest son Christian to help him learn his multiplication tables; now, fifteen musicals later he is completely hooked on writing. Paul involves his students in the creative process by introducing newly written material and letting the project evolve as he teaches.

Students give suggestions and valuable constructive criticism, if they are not enthusiastic about a song or they want more humour, additions to the script, whatever, I make the changes during the writing stage. We now have a strong culture of staging musicals at the school and the students have high expectations. For me as a writer it is a very productive and rewarding situation.
Paul and his wife now have four sons and are in their eighth year in Thailand.