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Paul's first appointment was as Co-Principal Trumpet in the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden working with great conductors such as Carlos Kleiber, Sir Colin Davis and Sir Georg Solti.

In 1980 he relinquished this position to concentrate on work with his group, the English Brass Ensemble and to perform as a member of the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble and the London Sinfonietta.

Throughout the 1980's Paul travelled extensively with these chamber groups, performing at many musical centres throughout the world. His enthusiasm for contemporary music was reflected in the work of the English Brass Ensemble whose focus was performing contemporary brass repertoire. The ensemble commissioned and premiered many new works and worked with leading composers such as Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, Gunthur Schuller, Witold Lutoslawki and Elliott Carter.

In 1984 Paul was a prize winner at the Toulon Prix de Concours, a major international trumpet competition which laid the foundations of his career as a soloist. He has since performed the solo repertoire with many of Britain's finest orchestras including the London Philharmonic, Bournemouth Symphony, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, London Mozart Players, Britten Sinfonia and the Orchestra of St John's.

In 1995 he was appointed Principal Trumpet of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and during this period he had the opportunity to perform many of the great orchestral works. Paul is now actively involved in almost every aspect of musical performance: chamber music with Trio D'Art with John Kenny (trombone) and Helen Reid (piano), English Brass, Carnyx Brass Trio and the Fibonacci Sequence: orchestral music as a member of OSJ, Britten Sinfonia and the London Mozart Players: commercial music, having performed on many film soundtracks with icons of popular culture such as Sir Paul McCartney and Sir Bob Geldoff and duo repertoire, performing in recitals with pianist Helen Reid. He also performs with the iconic group, Brass Monkey, whose innovative and thoughtful representation of English folk music can be heard at many folk festivals each year.

Paul is also based in Trinidad & Tobago working as a Professor of Music at the National Academy of Performing Arts, Port of Spain. He is also a member of Chaconia Brass, comprised of faculty members of the Academy of Performing Arts.

Paul edits two series of brass music for Brass Wind Publications: the English Brass Collection consists of new works for brass ensemble and the Paul Archibald Collection consists of new additions to the solo repertoire.

Paul delivers two brass courses each year at the Dartington International Summer School and the Benslow Music Trust. He is also the Artistic Director of Brass Classics, a recording label featuring the colourful world of the brass repertoire and its performers. His discography includes 'Joie de Vivre', 'Divertissement' and Peter Maxwell Davies’ 'Trumpet Sonata' recorded for the composers own label, Max Opus. As a conductor Paul's discography includes 'Proclamation', with the International Celebrity Trumpet Ensemble and 'Hodie Gloriosa' with the London Mozart Players Brass Ensemble. His recording of the Shostakovich Concerto for trumpet, piano and strings with Alain Lefèvre (piano), Mathias Bamert (conductor) and the London Mozart Players was awarded Canada's prestigious JUNO award for best Classical Album in 2010. In 2003 he was awarded the distinction of being elected a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music, London.

Paul's first appointment was as Co-Principal Trumpet in the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden working with great conductors such as Carlos Kleiber, Sir Colin Davis and Sir Georg Solti. In 1980 he relinquished this position to concentrate on work with his group, the English Brass Ensemble and to perform as a member of the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble and the London Sinfonietta. ... More