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Conductor, and currently Music Librarian at BBC NOW

Tell us a little about yourself I come from Strabane, County Tyrone, a working-class border town in the North of Ireland. I was pretty shy and reserved growing up, but I began to find my own distinct voice and passion through music. I benefited greatly from having access to free cornet lessons at school; soon I was playing in brass bands four days a week and playing trumpet in youth orchestra on Saturdays – so I got most of my formative musical training away from the classroom. I went on to read music at Queens University, Belfast, and afterwards studied orchestral and choral conducting at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff, the city where I met my lovely wife, soprano Llio Evans, and which I happily now call home.

Away from music, I am a keen cricketer, and, thanks to the 2020 lockdown, I’ve finally developed a healthy and sustainable relationship with running – I wouldn’t have said that back in 2019!

Who (or what) has most influenced you and your career? I’ve had many great teachers and mentors; however, the greatest influence has certainly come from my parents. They gave me the confidence and support I needed to raise my head above the parapet and push myself out into the wider world. I was the first person in my extended family to go to university, so, most of the time, my parents didn’t understand what I was doing as they were not musicians or college-educated, but they helped in every way they could – financially, and perhaps most importantly, being the taxi service we all need growing up as young musicians! They worked very hard to give me and my sister every opportunity to thrive and pursue our passions and careers. I try to take their generosity of spirit with me every day and emulate it, whether in my professional or my personal life.

What would you say is your greatest achievement to date? Professionally, conducting the RTÉ Concert Orchestra in the National Concert Hall in Dublin comes pretty close. It’s a special place for every Irish musician. It was also the first professional gig that my parents were able to attend. They were so proud. For the first time they could really see the years of hard study I went through coming together at last. And on a personal note, marrying my beautiful wife Llio of course – Diolch o galon blodyn!

Who is your all-time favourite artist and why? I don’t think I have one! Having studied music for so long, I’m probably too critical now to have a single favourite. I go through phases, so I’ve had my Karajan phase, my Bernstein phase, my Kleiber phase. If I could have the chance to speak to one artist however, it would be the Scottish conductor Bryden Thomson. I grew up listening to his great recordings with the Ulster Orchestra and have since spoken to many musicians here in Wales who remember him fondly. They say he was a musicians’ conductor. I’ve always been convinced that finding the correct tempo is key to any work, and I’ve never disagreed with any of Bryden Thomson’s.

What was the last CD/music download that you purchased? The Thin Red Line Recording Sessions. A rare CD of unused session music by Hans Zimmer for Terrence Malick’s 1998 war epic. It’s an incredible film, one that allows for introspection and self-reflection through the eyes of one of the main characters, Private Witt. Hans Zimmer’s score (his best in my opinion) gives you the space to have that inner monologue to explore your own thoughts. It was a film I loved in my teens, and, I guess after the past year, it just felt like something I needed to go back to.

Photo: Chris Stock

What are your plans for the future? At the moment, I’m just taking every day as it comes. I’m looking forward to our industry getting fully opened again very soon.

Finally, what is your ISM membership to you? To me, the ISM is a community, a support network, and an invaluable resource to any musician. I joined as a student to take advantage of the fantastic student membership rate, and initially used the organisation as a resource to set my fees – something I had very little experience of doing. As time has gone on, I’ve taken advantage of the career development, tax, insurance, and contractual advice on offer. I currently feel very proud to be an ISM Member. The team has worked tirelessly over the past few years, supporting us all through Brexit and now the pandemic. Their work on behalf of all musicians has been second to none.