I grew up in Reading, and my formative singing experiences were in Berkshire Boys Choir and then Berkshire Youth Choir under the watchful eye of the musical force of nature that is GIllian Dibden. I then went up to Cambridge to study modern languages and sang as a choral scholar in the Chapel Choir of Queens’ College, followed by a year in the brilliant choir of St Mary’s in the Lacemarket with the legendary John Keys whilst I studied for an MA in Social Policy and Administration at the University of Nottingham. Since moving to Birmingham at the turn of the millennium, I have done a number of different 9-5 jobs in the public and voluntary sectors, whilst spending my spare time singing for various ensembles across the Midlands as choir member and soloist, and deputising in the Cathedral Choirs of St Philip and St Chad Birmingham, Lichfield, Worcester, Gloucester and Truro(!), and in the Schola Cantorum of Tewkesbury Abbey. In October 2025 I took on my first ever permanent Lay Clerk position in the Choir of Coventry Cathedral.

1. How long have you been a member of Ex Cathedra and why did you join?

I first started performing with Ex Cathedra in around 2006. After moving to Birmingham in 2000 to take up my first job after uni, I spent a little while immersing myself in different musical experiences (City of Birmingham Symphony Chorus, singing regularly at St Philip’s Cathedral). I remember coming to a Christmas Music by Candlelight concert in St Paul’s and being particularly struck by a piece that is in this year’s programme, Naji Hakim’s “Noël”. I had had a few singer friends tell me I should audition, and this concert impressed on me that this was a choir I should join.

2. What does a typical day look like for you?

I have a pretty busy “day-job” as a fundraiser for an autism charity, where I am part of the Senior Leadership Team, and so I spend Monday-Friday in meetings, pitching to funders, writing funding proposals, talking to prospective donors and working with leadership colleagues on developing organisational strategy and reviewing policies and processes – so, very far removed from music! Singing, particularly church music,  has always been my passion, my release, my way of sustaining my creativity, and so you can often find me singing with various choirs and in various churches and Cathedrals in the evenings, and my Lay Clerkship at Coventry means a busy Sunday too!

3. If you could choose to perform any piece you have performed with Ex Cathedra again, what would it be, and why?

I would count performing in the premiere of Alec Roth’s 40-part cantata “Earthrise” in 2009 as one of the most rewarding musical experiences I have had in over 30 years of singing tenor. I count myself very fortunate to have been introduced to his exciting, beautiful, humane music and to have had many opportunities to sing it, but “Earthrise” in particular will always pack a massive emotional punch for me, and I very much hope it will be back on the menu for Ex Cathedra again soon – I’m sure it will!

4. What’s your musical guilty secret?

My music tastes are very broad, and before I took my deep-dive into choral and church singing my first musical love was techno and electronic music, so if you look at my spotify playlist you are as likely to come across Squarepusher, Bicep and Autechre as Stravinsky, Byrd or Juan de Araujo! I also particularly love dub reggae and ska, and the more experimental end of jazz.