I am a freelance musician, examiner, author, composer, teacher and music education consultant. For 27 years I worked in leading secondary schools in the UK as music teacher, Director of Music and Assistant Head. I was a Music Scholar at St. Edward's School, Oxford, and played bassoon in the National Youth Orchestra of GB before reading Music at Surrey University, focusing on piano and conducting. From 1990-93 I taught Key Stage 2, 3, GCSE and A level Music and Music Technology at Royal Russell School and was Assistant Director of Music at City of London Freemen's School from 1994-9. Then I was Director of Music at Woldingham School from 1999-2003 before being Director of Music and then Assistant Head at Reigate Grammar School from 2003 to 2017. I was also Principal Examiner for Music A Level for OCR and I am now an ABRSM grades, jazz and diplomas examiner and an examiner trainer, working in the UK and internationally.I have conducted student and adult orchestras, bands and choirs at major venues such as The Barbican, St Paul's Cathedral and St Peter's Basilica, led music tours all over Europe and to the USA (twice) and have been Musical Director for numerous shows from Carousel to Les Miserables.As a composer, I have written songs which have been recorded by pop artists in Europe, the US, China and Japan, and production music which appears on TV shows worldwide, including the BBC, ITV, Sky, BT Sport and international channels. I am a keyboard player and singer and regularly appear with bands including one that I co-founded, Coverstory (www.coverstory.co.uk).I am the author of ABRSM’s ‘Discovering Music Theory’ books and have written a number of Music A Level and GCSE books for Rhinegold Education, numerous resources for 'Music Teacher' Magazine and the student Study Area for the Naxos Music Library. I regularly compose music for ABRSM's assessments and have acted as a consultant for ABRSM's piano syllabus.As a senior leader I have led on staff CPD and welfare, SMSC, student voice, co-curricular provision and educational visits, as well as line-managing Heads of Departments. As a music education consultant I assist schools in their recruitment processes and frequently act as mentor for new Directors of Music.Specialties: Teaching Music (11-18), Middle and Senior Leadership in secondary education, music examining, composition and songwriting, conducting/MD, keyboard playing, writing educational resources.