I was born in Sunderland in 1953 and studied the piano with the well-known local teacher Mary Crooks-Taylor. From 1971 to 1974 I studied music at the Colchester Institute, where I obtained a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of London, and followed this with a postgraduate year at Nottingham University, where I gained a Master of Arts in the Interpretation and Editing of Renaissance and Baroque Music.

aI spent several years working at the publishers Novello & Company while also working as a private piano teacher. I have held posts as organist at Grays Parish Church and St John the Baptist, Tilbury, and have served as accompanist with the Thurrock Choral Society and Thurrock Male Voice Choir, and with the South Woodham Ferrers Male Voice Choir, the Swift Singers, the Anglia Singers, the Howard Wallace Chorale, the Southend Bach Choir and Chelmsford Opera. As well as teaching, I am also active as a performer, as a solo pianist, accompanist and organist.

I am a qualified teacher of piano, holding the Licentiate of the Royal Schools of Music (LRSM) diploma and I am a member of the Incorporated Society of Musicians. In addition to private teaching, I work as a peripatetic teacher of piano, keyboard, music theory and aural training with Essex Music Services.

I am an examiner for LCM Examinations at Thames Valley University, and organist and choirmaster at St Bartholomew's, Wickham Bishops.