MEET PAULINA

A woman lying inside an open Steinway & Sons grand piano, smiling and resting her head on her hands.

Paulina Simkin is a Juilliard-trained pianist, Fulbright Fellow, and Young Steinway Artist whose career has taken her to the world's most celebrated stages across the United States, Europe and Asia, such as Carnegie Hall, the Berliner Philharmonie and Suntory Hall in Tokyo. A laureate of several international piano competitions, she has appeared as soloist with orchestras including the Baltic Philharmonic and performed alongside violinist Eric Silberger of the New York Philharmonic and pianist Lang Lang.

Following her Master of Music in Piano Performance at The Juilliard School, she built a thriving career in New York before relocating to Los Angeles, where she is a sought-after pianist at premier event venues including The Ebell, The Biltmore, Carondelet House and Chateau Marmont.

What sets Paulina apart is how she brings a rare combination of world-class virtuosity, refined musical sensibility and cosmopolitan flair to every genre she touches. Rooted in the classical tradition yet equally fluent in jazz, pop, rock, hip hop and beyond, she shapes each performance to elevate the energy of the room in real time. From Chopin to Coldplay, Satie to Sinatra, she creates a living soundtrack with the intuition of a great DJ and the precision of a concert pianist. Her audiences don't just listen - they feel. The result is a feast for the ears that feels both soulful and spontaneous, equally at home in an intimate soirée or a grand concert hall.

A logo for The Philazea, featuring a golden crest with a sword, shield, and shield with a crown, against a flag background with black, gold, red, and brown stripes, and the words 'THE PHILAZEA NEW YORK' beneath.
Chateau Marmont Hollywood logo in black text on a white background.
Stylized logo with a winged figure of a woman at the top, and the text 'The Hollywood Biltmore' in multicolored, elegant font below, referencing the historic Hollywood Biltmore building in Los Angeles.
Black and white line drawing of a smiling cartoon sun with rays
The Carnegie Hall logo with text in black and red underline.
Sign reading 'Lincoln Center' in white text on a black background.

ON A PERSONAL NOTE

Growing up I was obsessed with pushing buttons. Literal ones. In elevators, in the kitchen (not a good idea, I know), on toys, you name it. Once my parents figured out a way to connect those buttons to creating a sound my love for piano was born at the tender age of 4. I always loved performing and moving my audience through music. While performing on some of the biggest stages in the world as a classical pianist I was often missing the direct connection to my audience and started seeking out less formal settings to share my music in.

As a teenager I was always watching too much MTV while I was supposed to be practicing Rachmaninoff - psst, don’t tell my teachers - so as soon as I graduated from Juilliard I started immersing myself in learning pop, rock, hip hop covers as well as jazz standards and a multitude of other music genres, which led to me developing my own style creating The Piano DJ Experience.

For each performance I find the most intricate and fun piano arrangements of my clients’ favorite songs or inspired by the theme of the event, read the room and seamlessly transition between musical soundscapes, like a piano DJ, elevating the energy of any space. Once in a flow state, it’s a mesmerizing experience for anyone involved, myself included. Music is so powerful in raising our vibration. The right music creates aural polaroids of your favorite moments in life and I love being able to help create those memories - whether at Carnegie Hall or at your celebration.

A man and a young girl sitting at a piano with sheet music, the man appears to be guiding or teaching the girl how to play.
A woman with braided hair playing the piano in front of a dark background with yellow text.
A man and woman stand on stage in front of a grand piano in a concert hall. The woman is wearing a long white dress with a black top and a decorative collar, and the man is wearing a shiny red dress shirt and black pants, holding a trombone. The audience's heads are visible at the bottom of the image.
  • Juilliard Pianist Paulina Simkin playing at the Santa Monica Proper
  • A woman sitting at a grand piano, smiling, in a well-lit room with large windows, a large green plant, a decorative white cake on a table, and a chandelier in the background.
  • Paulina Simkin playing piano during cocktail hour at a wedding at The Ebell Club Long Beach
  • Young woman playing the piano on stage at a classical music awards event in a formal setting with an audience.
  • Paulina Simkin after a performance at a Carondelet House Wedding
  • Juilliard Pianist Paulina Simkin performing at a wedding reception at Carondelet House
  • Woman in floral dress playing a black grand piano in a historic, elegant hall with stone walls, floral decorations, and a staircase.
  • A woman with shoulder-length brown hair, smiling, leaning on a grand piano with an open lid, in a cozy room with brick walls, framed paintings, a large mirror, and vintage furniture.
  • Juilliard-Pianist Paulina Simkin performing at an upscale Christmas Party
  • A woman in a red dress playing a white grand piano indoors during the evening, with large windows and a view of the green yard with a car outside.
  • Pianist Paulina Simkin playing at Tres LA Cafe in Los Angeles
  • Pianist Paulina Simkin performing at a Gala Dinner at the Irvine Barclay Theater