Born into a family rich in musical talent, Paula Arlich seemed destined for a life in music. Her extraordinary gift revealed itself at just three years old when she famously nudged her uncle, legendary film composer John Williams, away from the piano, declaring, “My turn!” She then sat down and began to play, astonishing her family. Her grandfather, Johnny Williams, drummer for the renowned Raymond Scott Quintette, was convinced she had inherited the family’s “musical gene.”
By the age of twelve, Paula was composing her own melodies, spending countless hours at the piano creating music that seemed to flow effortlessly from her imagination. “She’d sit at the piano and just play whatever came out, and we were all amazed at how easy it was for her,” her mother recalled. “Her melodies were so soothing, even at such a young age.”
Under the guidance of piano instructor Doris Morioka, Paula developed her natural abilities through formal classical training. In 1983, she completed the Certificate of Merit Program through the Whittier Branch of the Music Teachers’ Association of California, earning numerous awards and honors. She later earned her bachelor's degree in business with a minor in music.
Throughout her career, Paula has established herself as an accomplished pianist, composer, musical director, accompanist, and educator. Her remarkable versatility allows her to move effortlessly between classical, jazz, contemporary, Broadway, Christian, pop, rock, country, and countless other musical styles.
Her extensive career in musical theater includes serving as musical director for more than twenty Broadway-style productions. She has accompanied award-winning school and community choirs, coached aspiring vocalists, and mentored young musicians, including performers who later appeared on American Idol, The Voice, and America’s Got Talent. Her passion for teaching continues through her private piano studio, where she encourages students to develop both technical excellence and a lifelong love of music.
Performing with other musicians has always been one of Paula’s greatest joys. Over the years, she has played with numerous ensembles, including Believer, YNT, Guilty Conscience, and the Second Hand Jazz Band. In 2006, she joined Mark Cloud and Bill Carrigan in founding Guilty Conscience, a popular Southern California cover band that entertained audiences at hundreds of events. She continues to perform as a solo pianist and ensemble musician at restaurants, casinos, wineries, private events, and concert venues throughout Southern California. She also serves as a church pianist and choir director at Hope Lutheran Church in Temecula.
Despite her versatility, Paula’s deepest musical passion remains composing expressive, melodic music that touches the heart. In June 2005, with the assistance of producer Jay Stewart and saxophonist Albert Von Seggern, she released her original instrumental album, A Ray of Hope. The recording attracted the attention of Mark Cloud, owner and producer of Uncommonly Round Records, who began promoting and distributing the album through The Orchard.
A Ray of Hope gained recognition on internet radio stations, with several compositions reaching the Top 100 New Age charts. In 2008, her composition Lost Love received a nomination for Best New Age Instrumental from the Just Plain Folks Music Organization.
Since then, Paula has expanded her recording catalog to fourteen albums, featuring original compositions, classical selections, Christmas favorites, and Celtic-inspired music. Her recordings are available through major streaming platforms, including Spotify, Pandora, and Apple Music.
A New Chapter: From Music to Storytelling
Paula’s creativity has never been limited to the piano. Long before she began composing music, she was creating imaginary worlds and adventures with her childhood friends. As a fifth grader at Gardenhill Elementary School, Paula and three friends invented a game called The Endless Pit. Using the school playground's monkey bars as their gateway, they imagined escaping into a mysterious underground world filled with extraordinary landscapes, magical discoveries, and endless possibilities.
Although the childhood game eventually ended, the imaginary world never left her.
Decades later, Paula returned to those memories, transforming a simple playground adventure into her debut young adult fantasy novel, The Long Way Through. Inspired by real childhood friendships, personal experiences, and the boundless imagination of four young girls, the novel explores friendship, courage, self-discovery, and the challenges of growing up.
Set in 1978, the story follows four thirteen-year-old girls whose imaginary escape becomes an extraordinary journey through mysterious lands, where each must confront fears, insecurities, and truths about herself.
While the characters are inspired by real people, their experiences blend childhood memories with fictional adventures, creating a story that is both deeply personal and universally relatable.
For Paula, writing a novel has been another form of composition. Just as she has spent a lifetime weaving melodies into music, she now weaves memories, emotions, and imagination into stories.
The Long Way Through marks her debut as a novelist, with plans for a sequel that will reunite the four girls as adults.
Whether seated at a piano, directing a choir, mentoring a student, or bringing imaginary worlds to life on the page, Paula continues to follow the creative spirit that first emerged when a determined three-year-old declared, “My turn!”
And more than five decades later, it is still her turn to create.
