Biography
My love of music began almost from day one. There was always singing and piano in my house, and it inevitably led to instruments being acquired and learned throughout my childhood, including the cello, piano and Chinese flute! When I was around 9 (after seeing a concert by a New Zealand music icon, the late Roger Fox) I took up the trumpet, through sessions at the local Music Centre. Shortly after, the Upper Hutt Brass Band got in touch offering free cornet lessons with a free instrument and asked if I would be interested in joining the band. Must have sounded like a pretty great deal to my parents! From this point, my love of brass bands just grew – there was nothing like playing music with my mates through the National Secondary schools and National Youth Brass Band programmes. These were great for making countless like-minded friends and taking me all over the country; to China in 2014 and Aussie a couple of times alongside that.
Finishing school and starting a degree at the New Zealand School of Music massively broadened my horizons. Here I met more of my people, realised what opportunities might be out there for me, and started really honing my craft on the trumpet. During this time I was busy with lots of groups; I played in the National Youth Orchestra as principal trumpet and Wellington Brass Band as principal cornet, making great music all around New Zealand and Australia.
Being at the NZSM opened lots of doors, including freelancing with Orchestra Wellington and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. These experiences encouraged me to spread my wings, and I decided to head to the Conservatorium van Amsterdam to study with my favourite trumpet players: Miro and Omar from the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. This turned out to be an amazing decision. I had the best experience of my life to that point: living in Amsterdam, making new friends from all around the world, and getting freelancing opportunities with some epic orchestras around Europe.
COVID brought me back home to New Zealand, after just one jam-packed year in Amsterdam; I spent the time working with the Auckland Philharmonia for a year, then donning a tramping pack with my gorgeous partner James and walking Te Araroa, a 3,200km walk down the length of New Zealand. While NZ is truly paradise on earth, the UK beckoned to us for what it can offer creatively, galvanising us into action to make the move once again. And here I am!