Being hanged in Sondheim's "Assassins" - Edinburgh Fringe

Serious publicity photo with John Paul Ekins at Restoration House

Informal Biography

Early training - Music  (1987-2005)
Violinist - Kent County Youth Orchestra.   Piano and drums - rock bands.  Singing - musicals, choirs, 
barbershop quartet...

First operatic role: title boy-treble in Amahl and the Night Visitors, London Opera Players.  
Attended grammar school in Rochester.  Planned to apply for medical degree.  Decided against as concerned it may not leave enough time for music.


University - Theatre (2006-2009)
Worked on 21 theatrical productions, variously singer, actor, musician, producer, director in Student Theatre at University of Durham, encompassing G&S, Sondheim, Cole Porter, Shakespeare.  Working in student venues, professional venues, and the rite of passage that is Edinburgh Fringe.

Studied Natural Sciences (Maths and Chemistry).  Planned to apply for postgraduate medical degree. Decided against.  Applied for music college.


Music College - Vocal study (2010-12)
Work with Tim Evans-Jones on technique.  Advice from many others.  Developing love for recital as well as theatre (especially Lieder), particularly enjoying being part of a duo.  Picked up violin for first time in ages, decided should never do so in public.*


Out of college (2012-2013)
Roles with many great small companies in London.  Lots of recitals.  Freelance work, the odd session, geographically modest tours.  Recorded first advertising gig (it wasn't used in the end, sadly.)  Loving the Lieder but starting to find enjoyment of Opera too.  First large scale professional company experience in 2013 (Glyndebourne Chorus).  Entered first competition (ROSL), and did not find the experience as awful as expected.  Invited to join ENO "OperaWorks" course in September 2013, for continued coaching and development.  

* Did so in public on one occasion since.  Was a disaster.