Teacher Profile: Hannah Paulus

About Hannah Paulus

Hannah is an experienced musician and teacher focused mainly on cello, beginner strings, and beginner piano. She started playing cello at age six and was quickly drawn to the low frequencies and human vocal range of the instrument.

She began taking private cello lessons with Cathy Allen in El Cerrito, CA from age 6 to 18 until she moved away for college. Hannah received her Bachelor's of Music in Cello Performance in 2022 from the University of California in Santa Barbara studying with Jennifer Kloetzel. During her time in Santa Barbara, Hannah was able to collaborate closely with several composers and participate in the Ensemble for Contemporary music and a Jazz combo.

She received her Master's of Music in Cello Performance in 2024 from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville as a Graduate Teaching Assistant for Dr. Wesley Baldwin, while also pursuing a professional career as a performer, teacher, and collaborator. During her masters, Hannah took lessons in improvisation and composition with bass professor Jon Hamar, and continued to collaborate very closely with other performers and composers. She participated in the Electroacoustic Ensemble and performed very frequently with colleagues and other local musicians in East Tennessee.

Hannah has experience playing with professional orchestras, chamber ensembles, and bands as well. She recently played with Roger Eno at the Big Ears Festival in Knoxville, TN and enjoys playing within many different styles and genres of music.

Having just moved to the Seattle area, Hannah hopes to continue finding innovative ways to perform and teach, and holds a primary goal of finding ways to make learning an instrument a more engaging and fulfilling endeavor for her students.