I was born in London.

My father was an officer in the Royal Navy, who was a keen amateur musician and who later became a lecturer in physics and mathematics; my mother worked in the medical profession. Owing to my father's naval appointments we moved to several places in England and abroad, including a spell in Malta.

I was educated in Hampshire, Birmingham and London. I undertook advanced musical study in Oxford, in the Netherlands and in Portugal as well as elsewhere in the UK.

My love of music began early in life, and was encouraged by my parents, and my teachers. My early experience singing in choirs introduced me to much fine music, and to the necessary teamwork required successfully to make music with others. At the same time, avid concert-going, and listening to radio and to recordings enabled me to experience a world of music beyond the confines of choral music.

Later on, I took even more enthusiastically every opportunity that presented itself to attend concerts and recitals. Whilst still at school, the building of a new chapel organ fascinated me and encouraged me to concentrate on this instrument, progressing from initial studies to being lucky enough to be offered, and receiving, more advanced tuition.

Exposure to orchestral playing, initially as a percussionist, led me to broaden my musical horizons. I took up the french horn, and was very fortunate to study this instrument with a series of highly accomplished players and teachers. This eventually enabled me to work professionally on a freelance basis with several orchestras and ensembles. I have a particular interest in historically informed performance on the eighteenth century hand-horn.

I've also been very fortunate to conduct orchestras and choirs, large and small, professional and amateur starting with a series of concerts in the Midlands, and later elsewhere.    In pursuit of this added opportunity for music-making I have attended various masterclasses and received coaching from a number of accomplished conductors.

In any spare time, I fly light aircraft, and have been interested in aspects of railways for a while, having been passed as a signalman on the North York Moors Railway - where I worked the box at Goathland frequently between 1998 and 2002, or so.

I'm married to a viola player (also freelance), and now live in Wiltshire - where I have taken up the post of Director of Music at St Andrew's Parish Church in Chippenham, from November 2009.