Kansas City-based composer and performer Paul Berlinsky crafts music that is inspired by folklore, dreams, the natural world, and our sense of time. Praised as both "dark and satisfying to listen to" (Sound Currents, KCUR) and "beautiful, mysterious and eerie," his compositions span solo, chamber, and large ensemble works.

Berlinsky's compositions have been performed and recorded by a wide array of musicians and ensembles across the country, from the JACK Quartet, Hub New Music, and Transient Canvas, to soloists like flutist Gözde Çakir Ramsey and saxophonist Kyle Jones. His work has also been featured at festivals such as Oh My Ears Festival, New Music on the Point, and New Music on the Bayou.

Recent projects include a collaboration with saxophonist Kyle Jones on Seasons and Cycles, a concert experience featuring his new music, immersive visuals, and 5.1 surround sound electronics. The duo is slated to take the show on tour in summer 2026. Among his accolades, Berlinsky is a two-time recipient of the ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composer Award (2021 and 2022), with the panel also honoring him with the 2021 Leo Kaplan Award.

An active community member and new music advocate, for the past three years Berlinsky has served as the board president of Kansas City’s premier new music ensemble, newEar Contemporary Chamber Ensemble. Under Berlinsky’s leadership, the ensemble has grown in audience reach and the ensemble's eclectic programing has gained local and national recognition.

Berlinsky received his master’s degree in music composition from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and holds an undergraduate degree in music education from Florida Gulf Coast University.