About Me
My Story so far...
I was born in London. I attended London University to complete my Bachelor of Music Honours Degree Course followed by a Master of Music Degree. Having been captivated during my school years by some of the great events of “modern” music such as Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring and Cage’s 4’ 33”, I went on during my University years (with much acknowledgement to composer and mentor the late Brian Dennis (http://www.composer.co.uk/composers/dennis.html) to develop a strong penchant for contemporary music from the turn of the 20th century forward which has never left me. By odd circumstance, my Masters Degree took me the other way to Modal Theory in the 1400 and 1500s! (My dissertation is catalogued at section “F” http://www.adriaenwillaert.be/ned/wie_was_hij/hij_biblio.html.) Part of my degree course allowed me to pursue my solo guitar performance, studying with Hector Quine, and much time was spent and immense enjoyment had as a double bass player in the Music Department’s chamber, symphony, choral, opera, musical and other ensemble productions. I was privileged to receive Four pieces for Guitar by Richard Churches (http://www.composer.co.uk/composers/churches.html ). I was encouraged to consider the possibilities of composition by my Techniques tutor Mark R Taylor (http://www.classical-composers.org/comp/taylor), whose own works and performance continue to enthral me. My dissertation requirements led me deep into the work of American composer George Crumb, whose eclectic, experimental settings of the rich poetry of Lorca and visually enticing scores connected so many of my interests. My passion for Spanish art and music was in place from before I really could appreciate through much of my guitar repertoire. Seeing the great Andres Segovia in concert at an early age was significant. I had been thrilled to play la gitana cantando y tocando la guitarra in a production of El Sombrero de Tres Picos. A brush with serious illness gave me an extra year in my degree course which enabled me to extend to lute and singing performance including works by John Dowland and I continued occasional instrumental tutoring.
Following my Masters Degree, I continued for a while playing with the Aragon Guitar Quartet which was formed by my first guitar teacher John Compton to whom I owe a very special acknowledgment for encouraging me, then a goofy 10-year-old with plaits (John and I both had more hair in those days!), to gain a music scholarship and start me on a road in my life which I treasure. Ironically, although I planned to take up a placement for PhD, I took some time out and did not return to music studies. I instead embarked on legal studies and practical training to qualify as a solicitor.
Perhaps regrettably, the focus which I gave to my law training and first stages of my law career took me through period of musical drought. More recently, and despite experiencing considerable frustration in having achieved a level in music in my specific knowledge and performance skills which has now slipped from reach, music has returned to me as a limitless passion. I love music in all its forms. I love art and conceptual creations. I like nothing more than to indulge my instinct for and need to absorb aesthetics in art. I have come to enjoy playing the instrument that was less dear to me in my formative years, the piano, and through playing find a constant panacea for everything that life throws. Although my work in the legal sector is hectic and at times emotionally challenging and draining, I am always amazed to find how energized I feel by hearing or playing or talking about music. When asked recently what I could not live without, I answered “music”. This may be a less than practical response but…!
To state my philosophy on life, I think, perhaps naively, that my strongest wish and hope is for a completely peaceful world where consideration to others' needs and feelings and true compassion are held as an unswerving code by all. I believe that it is important each day to make another person smile if you can. To be able to chuckle at oneself is an important part of this.
At this stage in my life, I have felt a wish to share my feelings about music. I noted a circular recently which said “Most of us go to our grave with our music still inside of us”. This seems to me a bad prospect.
I hope that my posts on this site convey how I feel about music. Though I was perhaps unaware for a long time, I know now that a strong influence on my musical style has been Ryuichi Sakamoto (http://www.sitesakamoto.com). I fell in love with Ryuichi’s music when I was 15. I was already an avid fan of David Sylvian (http://www.davidsylvian.com) and the band Japan. The product of the early collaboration between Ryuichi and David, in particular on Forbidden Colours, has never left me. I feel privileged by this and the fact that this interest has brought me to so many aspects of Japanese art and culture and approach to life, which I hold in great esteem, as well as a sheer abundance of wonderful music and projects.
I am now happy and fortunate to be able to enjoy my music as a very exciting part of my life. I delight in taking part in developments in the contemporary music world, and I am privileged to work closely with a brilliant composer, whose music is very special to me, and, via his music, I have met many exceptional and wonderful people and learned many new things. In uploading my own works, I have welcomed a push towards a new thought or topic and hope that I have been able to encourage others to do likewise in return. I hope and plan to produce more to upload here in due course. Every day, I hope that time will take a gentle pace to allow me to achieve as much as I can before the day ends.
