About Me
From the age of 5 I had a classical upbringing, taught by one of my mother’s friends at the RNCM, Eva Warren. I had weekly lessons till the age of 16 when work, friends and general teenage distractions materialised!
At the age of 11, I became the holder of a Wirral Studentship award, which entitled me to subsidised organ lessons. These started with Simon Lawford at St Georges in Thornton Hough, but quickly moved on to Roger Fisher at Chester Cathedral. Looking back, it was an honour to be a pupil of such a highly regarded organist, and I still have vivid memories of being transported by my father to his house in the square by the cathedral, hoping our lesson would be on “the beast” in the cathedral, only to be taken into his spacious extension containing (if I recall correctly) 3 pipe organs! I continued practising at my local methodist church in Heswall and started playing for occasional Sunday services there and in Thingwall. From the age of 18, I left home to study for my degree, but felt I had ended my organ studies on a high note having achieved distinction in Grade 8.
After graduation, I returned to playing for pleasure, and starting accompaniment duties at various local ladies’ choirs on the Wirral (Bromborough Ladies, Peggy McKnight Singers, Accord).
On moving to Wilmslow in 2003, I started working as a rehearsal accompanist in musical theatre, introduced by a friend at work. Around the same time, I started playing regularly for Sunday services and weddings at St Georges URC in Thornton Hough. During the last couple of years, I have also become part of an organ rota in the Wilmslow area for the C of E churches in the town, so a free Sunday morning is becoming a rarity!
In recent years, I have returned more to my roots and become more involved on the classical side, accompanying several choirs around Cheshire (Capriccio, Sotto Voce, Barnby Singers) and playing solos and duets at fund raising and charity concerts.
Since 2018, I have assisted Opera Viva (Crosby) and Cheshire Light Opera, accompanying at several concerts around the North West. I have also been in demand as a keys player for several musical theatre companies pit bands on and around the Wirral. As with many musicians though, 2020 has been a challenge and Covid-19 has meant much of my recent booked work has been cancelled – but when societies and venues open up again, I look forward to re-starting my musical engagements.
Please get in touch if you require my services in any of the musical spheres detailed on my web site. Currently the majority of my work is in Wirral, North Wales, Cheshire and Merseyside, but I would be more than happy to travel outside these areas to play for you.