I was educated at Bishop Vesey Grammar School in Sutton Coldfield – the main hall of which boasted a three manual Compton pipe organ and a lifelong interest in the organ and choral singing was born out of accompanying school assembly each day.
After school and technical college, I was appointed Deputy Organist at Birmingham Parish Church (St Martins in the Bull Ring) where I trained under Geoffrey Fletcher. St. Martins had a strong reputation for its choral music. Congregations of over 400 and monthly broadcasts on BBC World Service being just two of the challenges that had to be faced. I was elected as a Member of The Royal College of Organists in 1980.
In 1985, a career move to Reading with my employers, Yellow Pages, saw me settle in the West Berkshire town of Thatcham where I was quickly appointed as Organist of the Parish Church. In 1990 I was offered the position of Director of Music at St. John the Evangelist, Newbury – a large traditional Anglo-Catholic church. During nearly 15 years at St Johns, I established and directed the annual Newbury Choir Festival and St Johns childrens music group as an outreach to teenagers and young people..
I have worked as a freelance organist at many churches throughout the UK including the Garrison Church at Arborfield where hymns are accompanied with military timing at 120 paces to the minute! For six years I was one of the regular rota organists at Reading Crematorium.
I now live in the beautiful village of Alrewas on the borders of Staffordshire and the West Midlands where I work full time as a freelance organist, choir director and accompanist.
My musical interests are not confined to organ and choral music. As regular at New Wine, and having worshipped at Soul Survivor, I am equally at home playing my guitar, bass and keyboards in contemporary forms of worship.
I am a member of the Royal College of Organists, and a Fellow of the Society of Crematorium Organists
Outside of my musical activities, I still practice from time to time as a consultant internet publisher helping companies to transition businesses onto the internet. I have worked for Yellow Pages, Oxfam, British Standards, and most recently Reed Elsevier. I am married with a daughter and enjoy spending my spare time on my boat on the Isle of Wight.
07850716760