My Music Career

Before I entered the commercial world, I spent the first chapter of my career as a professional classical saxophonist. It shaped everything that came after.

Training

I trained at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (BMus) and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (MMus), and hold a DipABRSM. I started on piano and voice before discovering the saxophone at eleven — somewhat by chance, when my mum bought my dad one for his 40th birthday. It quickly became my focus, though I continued piano and voice to a high level throughout.

Lunar Saxophone Quartet

I co-founded the Lunar Saxophone Quartet while studying at RWCMD, and it became a decade-long project that defined the first half of my career. We were accepted onto the Live Music Now scheme and began touring extensively across the UK and Europe, commissioning over 50 new works for saxophone quartet along the way.

We recorded two albums on Signum Classics, one on Edition Records, self-released two further albums, and contributed to festival recordings including the York Late Music Festival and the London Festival. The quartet led to collaborations with remarkable musicians and composers including Philip Glass, Michael Nyman, Marius Neset, Dave Stapleton, Neil Yates, and the National Orchestra of Wales.

London Contemporary Orchestra

I was invited to join the LCO as principal saxophone. My first performance with them was a live rescoring of Fritz Lang's 1927 silent film Metropolis at the Roundhouse. I'd previously performed at the Roundhouse with the Merce Cunningham Dance Company during my time at Guildhall.

With the LCO I performed at the Barbican Centre with Terry Riley, at the London Festival performing works by Philip Glass, and alongside Voces8. I also contributed to major film soundtrack recordings with the orchestra.

Arts Sector Leadership

I was Director of Marketing and Communications at Saffron Hall Trust and Head of Professional Development at the Incorporated Society of Musicians (ISM), where I designed and delivered the professional development programme for the ISM's 11,000+ members, working with musicians including Oliver Coates and Paul Harris. I also co-created Office Choir of the Year at Music in Offices, which received BBC television broadcast coverage.

Teaching

I've taught saxophone and clarinet at Wellingborough School, City of London Boys' School, and Hampton School, and was Head of Music at Lyndhurst Primary School in London, where the department won awards and grants during my time. Earlier in my career I taught saxophone, clarinet and piano for Kent Music Service, Cardiff Music Service, and CAVMS.

I've led masterclasses at Cardiff University, the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Leeds University, and a number of independent schools.