When I was at school my teachers all expected me to become a dedicated and skillful scientist –

I was particularly good at maths and not bad at physics and chemistry – but I confounded them by adopting in the Sixth Form a route through French, German and Latin which allowed me to continue to do music as a sideline, since there was until my time at that school no regular Advanced-level music provision. My father was an outstanding analytical chemist running his own laboratories to investigate surface coatings, paints, resins and adhesives – much of my teenage was spent working in those labs. assisting on research into formulae and observing scientific method and statistical analyses.

 

My fascination (still as eager as when I was an open-eyed teenager) with making sense of differing thinking processes and alternative procedures for solving problems has been constantly exercised

in making music as adjudicator, broadcaster, composer, conductor, player and teacher (listed alphabetically as none takes precedence!). Endeavouring to explain the nuances of emotional expression and technical perfection in musical accuracy is a constant and all-involving mental challenge.

 

So you can understand how important it is to me now to be able to work with outstanding, skillful and dedicated teachers and thinkers in many allied fields of scientific and creative thought and practice so we can stimulate, maintain and acknowledge achievements in these fields of human endeavor and study.

 

I look forward very much indeed to working with you, sharing with you the stories of these adventures and successes, and building a stronger, well-integrated and enterprising future for combined education, science and creativity.