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Paul Sarcich was born in Wellington, New Zealand, and embarked on a scientific career before switching to music. He began as a percussionist in military bands before progressing to an orchestral and freelance career. He studied percussion in the USA with Karen Ervin, and the UK with Michael Skinner, James Blades, Michael Frye, and Nicholas Cole. His study in the UK was supported by awards from the Australia Council and the West Australian Arts Council.

He is largely self taught as a composer, although he studied with Leonard Salzedo in the UK. Most of his work has been commissioned, and much of it broadcast on radio and TV, as have been most of his arrangements, reflecting his experience of both commercial and symphonic music. A large number of arrangements of his have also been featured by ensembles and orchestras.

Sarcich's music is noted for its rhythmic and dramatic flair, and his output particularly reflects his performance background in percussion, brass, and voice, together with his orchestrational ability.

He has taught music at all educational levels and in formats from the experiential to the formal, has been an artist in residence at many schools, and a foundation Teaching Artist for the Victorian Arts Centre's Winterarts program. From 1991 to 1999, he was a lecturer in composition, percussion and performance-related studies at the Victorian College of the Arts School of Music, Melbourne.

Other areas of work have included vocal study and performance, conducting, adjudicating, concert direction, and music journalism. 1994 and 1995 were spent in the UK and Europe, where he was involved in music typography, harmonic chant, and flamenco.

In 1998 he won the Best Composition by an Australian Composer Award in the Australian Music Centre Awards, for his work Matters Arising, for multisaxophone soloist and 3 quintets.

In 2000 he returned to London, where he currently teaches musicianship, orchestration and conducting at Morley College, composition at Birkbeck College; and works in publishing and CD production for Cala Records. Three of his works feature on Cala's The London Trumpet Sound, released in 2002/3. In 2005 his choral ode Uncover the Harp! Was commissioned by Victor Salvi for the 50th anniversary of the Salvi company and premiered at the World Harp Congress in Dublin.

His works are published in the USA by Studio 4 and Shawnee Press (percussion), and in the UK by Warwick Music (brass), Salvi Music (harp) and Southern Percussion. He is at present completing a Doctorate in composition at Goldsmith's College, London, under Roger Redgate.

Paul Sarcich — current to September 2009