Paul Hoskin

Paul Hoskin began his musical work with a program of self-education, playing the bass clarinet exclusively. A native of Seattle, Paul lived on both coasts and traveled globally. Collaborations have included the orchestral as well as numerous smaller formations.

An accomplished solo performer, Hoskin extends the form both in terms of duration and sonority. His annual ninety minute contrabass clarinet solos were legendary. Performances take place in venues ranging from jazz festivals in Czechoslovakia to oyster bars in Jackson, Mississippi.

As a New Yorker (1987-1995), Hoskin worked in innumerable ensemble settings as well as developing his skills as a solo performer. This work included the trio Trigger (with Fred Lonberg-Holm and Leslie Ross) and the Dierker/Hoskin/Meehan trio, with John Dierker and Sean Meehan. Though improvisation informs the work of these ensembles, compositional form (“language”) is an explicit element. Work with dancers (especially Linda Austin) also was a feature of Paul’s development. A longstanding member of a music/dance improvisation workshop, Hoskin worked on the development of vocabularies/structures that both dancers and musicians could use.

Returning to Seattle (1996-2001), Paul involved himself with ensembles as well as countless ad hoc formations. Groups included: Tactile, with Lori Goldston and Robert Jenkins; UnFolkUs, with Rob Bageant, Bill Horist and Eveline Mueller-Graf; Bolt, with Angelina Baldoz, Aimee Sullivan, and Greg Powers; Jerman/Hoskin/Horist, with Jeph Jerman and Bill Horist. These groupings reflect Hoskin’s continuing involvement with improvisation.

Paul also founded the Seattle Festival of Improvised Music in 1985. He currently resides in Astoria, OR.