Paul Schoenfield is a composer and pianist born in Detroit in 1947. He started playing the piano at the age of six and composed his first piece at the age of seven. He studied piano under Julius Chajes, Ozan Marsh, and Rudolf Serkin, and graduated from Carnegie-Mellon University. Schoenfield obtained a Doctor of Music Arts degree from the University of Arizona. He has a strong interest in mathematics and Hebrew. Schoenfield's first teaching job was in Toledo, Ohio, and he spent time living on a kibbutz in Israel while working as a freelance composer and pianist in Minneapolis-St. Paul. He has received commissions and awards from many organizations, including the NEA, the Ohio Arts Commission, and Chamber Music America. Although he rarely performs today, Schoenfield used to be an active pianist and toured many countries as a solo performer and member of groups such as Music from Marlboro. His recordings can be found on labels such as Angel, Decca, Innova, Vanguard, EMI, Koch, BMG, and New World. One of his notable recordings is the entire Bartok violin and piano works with Sergiu Luca.
