ABOUT ME
“I didn’t know the organ could sound like that.”
It’s a phrase Russel Paul often hears after a performance—and it fuels his mission: to reveal the pipe organ’s expressive power and make its rich tradition vibrant for new audiences and communities.
Rooted in the gospel tradition and mentored by artists like Nerva Altino and Nathaniel Gumbs, Russel blends soulful depth with classical precision. A self-taught musician from the age of three, he began on piano, moved to the Hammond organ at ten, and later discovered the pipe organ—a discovery that shaped his artistic calling.
His repertoire spans Bach, Mendelssohn, Florence Price, Petr Eben, and contemporary gospel-inflected works that bridge cultures and generations. He has performed at The Riverside Church, Lincoln Center, The Kimmel Center, and the Washington National Cathedral.
Russel currently serves as Music Coordinator and Organist at Community Worship Center SDA in Queens, NY, and as Interim Organist at Brown Memorial Park Avenue Presbyterian Church in Baltimore, MD. He also performs with the Pine Forge Academy Choir and the Jason Max Ferdinand Singers, collaborating widely across genres.
Russel is a Master of Music candidate at the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University, studying in Dr. Daniel Aune’s organ studio, where he continues exploring new ways to connect people to the organ’s living, evolving voice.
