I was very lucky growing up in that my parents allowed and encouraged me to pursue a musical instrument. I have a large family and all my brothers and sisters are violinists, so by the time I came to decide which instrument to play my mother firmly steered me away from the violin. Instead, on my 5th birthday I was presented with a brand new 'big' violin. Obviously being a young boy I was over the moon that my instrument was nearly 4 times as big as my big sisters'! From that point on I was hooked and my musical journey began.

I started at the Junior School of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow at the age of 9. When I first entered I was quite a bit younger than the average age but I immediately began to feel welcome. I became friendly with children who were on average a couple of years older than I am and so this pushed me to want to try and compete with them. I also noticed that most of the students who were at the Juniors with me were excelling not just in music but with their other studies at school. I am a firm believer that teaching music to children helps them to become disciplined and mentally stimulated. The necessary organisation of practice is akin to learning any academic subject.

Through the social side of the musician's learning (i.e. orchestras etc) the student develops social skills that will help them in the future be it as a musician or any other career.

Music has been a major part of my upbringing. The friends I have met and the places it has taken me have been some of the best parts of my life. The thing about music and more importantly musicians is that its a small world. I have been in music courses in Spain where there is someone who knows someone I know through one thing or another.

Whether you are looking to learn an instrument for fun or have played in the past and want to regain your skills, it's never too late to start to learn a new skill.