Born: Pontypridd, Wales

Studied: Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and Aston University.

Career before the Royal Ballet Sinfonia: I mainly worked with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and for West End Shows.

Joined: 1991

Favourite piece of music: Changes every day – at the time of writing it is Hi Ren by Ren. It’s so original; a piece of theatre brilliantly constructed and performed. And he’s from Wales!

First ballet or concert you saw: The first concert I attended was given by the Mid Glamorgan Youth Orchestra playing Mahler's Symphony No.1. Live, large-scale performances are unbeatable – I wanted to be part of it.

First album: The Chilingirian String Quartet playing Schubert's Death and the Maiden. It’s such a powerful and virtuosic piece of music.

Why the violin? I won violin lessons in a raffle.

What is special about the violin: There are so many benefits. I love the complexity of playing as it requires both physical and mental dexterity. Practising can be extremely therapeutic and gives you structure and discipline. It’s also opens the door to amazing friendships, musical experiences and travel.

Favourite ballet to play: Anything by Stravinsky!

Alternative career: An Entrepreneur.

Most challenging non-musical thing you have done: I’ve run marathons and started a few companies. They are surprisingly similar to each other!

Places that inspire you: Hong Kong for the vibe; Graz (Austria) for the way of life; Wales for the people and Perth (Australia) because it’s so far from everywhere else.

Interesting fact about you: I’m doing a Phd, researching the use of AI and machine learning within the context of translators and interpreters delivering level 7 qualifications. (It’s a lot more interesting than it sounds.)