Paula O’Malley
Paula O’Malley is one half of ‘Percussi Aeris’ euphonium and percussion duo, a freelance percussionist with several British professional orchestras and the principal percussionist of the cooperation band.
Paula started playing percussion at the age of nine in her hometown of Paisley, Scotland. Spending four years at the junior department of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, she won the prestigious Colin Currie Young Percussionist Award. As a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland for six years, she played at prestigious concert halls, including the BBC Proms in the Royal Albert Hall and the Shanghai Grand Theatre.
Paula went on to study percussion at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, where she was twice winner of the Southern Percussion Award, then completed her MPerf (distinction) in percussion at the Royal College of Music in London.
Paula was a percussionist and soloist at the Black Dyke Band for three years, in which she toured internationally to Japan, New York, France, Ireland and to the KKL Luzern, as well as performing on the Glastonbury Festival ‘Pyramid Stage’.
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“I focused on sound quality when choosing the bars for my Adams Alpha Series marimba. I was moved by the beauty of sound produced from the rosewood bars and the sustain, especially in the lower register, is astounding.”
Paula is a freelance percussionist in the UK, performing with British orchestras such as the Hallé Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic, Royal Scottish National Orchestra and Scottish Opera.
Paula is a member of the successful euphonium and percussion duo, ‘Percussi Aeris’. Recent performances have included appearances at the Scottish International Tuba Festival, Lockerbie Music Society, Glasgow South Concert Series, Dundee University Chaplaincy and recitals at St Mirin’s Cathedral. With her duo partner, Chris Flynn, they are dedicated to expanding the repertoire for their unique ensemble, commissioning works by notable composers.
She is the principal percussionist of the cooperation band, with whom Adams Percussion has a percussion partnership. In 2025, the cooperation band won the Brass in Concert Championships at the Glasshouse International Centre for Music and came 2nd on the set test at the 2025 European Brass Band Championships in Stavanger, Norway, coming 5th overall.
Along with her performing schedule, Paula is also a busy educator in Scottish schools, teaching the next generation of percussionists and is the musical director of St Mirin’s Cathedral Choir.
Paula is extremely proud to be an Adams artist, performing on the Adams Alpha Series marimba and the Adams Alpha Series vibraphone.