Born: Kent

Studied: I went to the Royal Academy of Music and then freelanced until I joined the Sinfonia.

Career outside the Royal Ballet Sinfonia: Music education has been an important part of my musical life. I teach at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and the Royal College of Music, and have tutored the timpani and percussion sections of the National Youth Orchestra of Wales and the Australian Youth Orchestra.

Joined: 1998

Favourite piece of music: Strauss, Four Last Songs. The more you listen, the more the music gives.

Favourite ballet to play: The most transformative musical moment for me was hearing Steve Webberley (former timpanist of Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet) play Coppélia. His range of dynamics and sensitivity were incredible. The colours that he brought out of the instruments were truly amazing. I learnt more hearing him play than my years at music college. Whenever I play Coppélia I think of Steve and how lucky I am to have witnessed such a musician.

Why the Timpani? I love the huge range of dynamics and colours that you can make. The timpani are not a solo instrument, the joy in playing them is to make the orchestra as a whole sound as good as possible.

Alternative career: An historian.