Paul Kampen was born in Canada but brought up in West Yorkshire where he began his musical training in his local church choir and with piano and violin lessons. Switching to horn, he studied with Wilfrid Heaton whilst at the Salt Grammar School (Shipley) before going to the Northern School of Music (Manchester - now part of the RNCM) where his horn teachers were Julian Baker and Kenneth Monks.  On leaving the NSM Paul taught brass for a short time in Salford before joining the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company's orchestra. Eight years of freelancing followed, playing as an extra and deputy with the Halle,  BBC Northern Symphony, BBC Northern Radio, BBC Midland, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Northern Sinfonia, Northern Ballet, Scottish National and Scottish Chamber Orchestras plus Scottish Opera.  He was a member of the Manchester Camerata and a founder member of the Northern Chamber Orchestra; and also toured at various times with the night club singer Tony Christie, with John Hanson in 'The Dancing Years' and with other shows such as 'Cowardy Custard'.  He was a member of the Northern Radio Orchestra for a time before becoming a founder member of Opera North in 1978.

Paul has always been involved in teaching, currently at Leeds College of Music and previously in Rochdale and at colleges such as Bretton Hall and Leeds Polytechnic. Paul is also involved in Musicians Union affairs having served as Opera North's MU Steward for over 15 years.  He is also currently Vice Chair of the MU's National Opera and Ballet Orchestras Consultative Committee and Vice  Chair of the MU Leeds Branch.

As Northern co-ordinator and a Council Member for the British Horn Society, Paul has organised seminars in Leeds (3), York (2), Huddersfield (3), Ripon and Manchester and was also involved in the organisation of the British Horn Society National Festival held in Manchester in 1991.

Paul is also on the committee of the Friends of the Settle-Carlisle Line and Editor of its magazine.  He can often be found either working in the FoSCL shop at Settle station or leading the industrial archeology walks around Ribblehead.  His other hobbies include walking in the Dales and reading - particularly the history of railways, 19th Century History and the history of the 1st World War period and its aftermath.  He has done research into railway workers in Yorkshire in the 19th Century some of which has appeared in  various books and articles.

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