After a family friend inherited a piano and donated their old one to me, I quickly became fascinated with the instrument and realised how much I loved playing it. I started lessons and four years later passed my Grade 8. I was being taught classical technique and loved the classical repertoire, and around the time of taking my Grade 8, I also developed an interest in blues and boogie woogie. I spent many hours learning this music by ear as well as continuing my classical studies. At university, intending to spend only one semester studying jazz piano, I was bitten by the jazz bug and continued to learn this great music for the duration of the course. I have played piano in a range of contexts from function bands to jazz groups to solo work and have performed for celebrities including Keira Knightley, Leslie Bricusse, Jerry Bruckheimer and the man who made sure I got the news every day when I was a kid - John Craven!