Educational Background/Training

B.A. Music Theory and Composition, George Washington University

About the Artist/Ensemble

Paul Reisler has written more songs than the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, and Stephen Foster combined—somewhere north of 3,500 compositions.  And, he’s probably had more than enough collaborators to make it into the Guinness Book of World records—approaching 40,000 and counting (though he’s lost count).  He’s written songs with tens of thousands of children through his Kid Pan Alley project and he’s written songs with a bunch of Grammy winning songwriters.  Artists including Sissy Spacek, Raul Malo, Cracker, Corey Harris, Jesse Winchester and many others have recorded his songs.

Paul has been performing and writing for over 40 years.  He was the founder of Trapezoid and performed close to 3,000 concerts worldwide. He has been involved in over 35 recording projects in various roles as a musician, producer and composer.  He currently leads 2 bands, Paul Reisler and a Thousand Questions as well as  Paul Reisler & Three Good Reasons.

He is the founder and director of Kid Pan Alley where he has written over 2,500 songs with over 40,000 children nationally.

He’s one of the most popular songwriting teachers in North America and has taught at workshops and songwriting schools including Rocky Mountain Song School, Utah Song School, Swannanoa Gathering, Blue Ridge Songcamp, Augusta Workshop, Hollyhock, Folk Alliance, Kerrville, Nashville Songwriters Association, Omega Institute, Moulin a Nef in S. France, Songcamp in the Mountains, Puget Sound Guitar Workshop, and many others.

He wrote the full-length piece Aesop’s Fables for Orchestra and Narrator with co-writers Art Wheeler and Tom Paxton.  He’s just completed writing a musical entitled Bouncin’ in which he wrote the songs as well as the script.

Educational Program Description

Kid Pan Alley has written songs about most every subject. Programs can be tailored to different topics to suit the needs of the school or partner. They’ve created these programs with museums, orchestras, National Parks, libraries, mental health organizations, schools with special needs, teen programs, and senior citizen centers. Popular programs include:

Across the Ages
Across the Ages brings generations together through songwriting, connecting children and elders together in a collaborative, creative exchange. Participants share stories, memories, and perspectives, turning them into original songs that celebrate empathy, community, and the power of shared experience. The program fosters intergenerational understanding while honoring the voices and wisdom of both youth and elders. Brochure, Video

Music of Art
Developed in partnership with the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Kid Pan Alley’s Music of Art integrative arts programs inspire the children to explore the worlds of painting, photography, sculpture and history and respond by creating original songs. Students explore the artwork, learn about the artists, and create songs that express what they see and feel; encouraging observation, interpretation, and creative expression in response to art. Brochure, WVTF video

Strike Up the Band
What better way to interest children in orchestral music than for them to hear their songs played by an orchestra? It began when Kid Pan Alley worked with the Nashville Chamber Orchestra and school children to create songs for the Grammy-nominated Kid Pan Alley Nashville CD. It’s a great experience for the children and a great way to help symphonies connect to the audience of the future.  WETA video

Singing Their Stories
Singing Their Stories uses songwriting as a tool for literacy development. Students transform reading and storytelling experiences into lyrics, reinforcing comprehension, vocabulary, and narrative structure. By turning books and personal stories into songs, children build confidence as both readers and creators. Brochure, Listen

One Little Song Can Change the World
This program focuses on building character and social awareness through songwriting. Students write songs about kindness, respect, inclusion, and making a difference, discovering how one idea—and one song—can inspire change in their community. It integrates social-emotional learning with artistic creativity.

The Song Inside the Story
The Song Inside the Story transforms stories and themes into musical theatre. Students develop characters, scenes, and songs that bring their stories to life on stage. The program builds teamwork, literacy, and performance skills while showing how music and theatre can tell powerful stories together. Some of the songs were featured in Kid Pan Alley’s two musicals Bouncin’ and The Talented Clementine.

Audiences

• All Ages