He studied for his first degree at the Royal Academy of Music, London, where he won the Peter Latham Scholarship amongst other prizes. Following a period as a professional musician, he trained as a music teacher at the University of Reading and subsequently taught for 20 years in schools in the Bristol and Bath areas. He then worked as a teacher educator at the University of Bristol Graduate School of Education, where he gained his PhD in Education. He went on to hold posts at Bath Spa University and as Learning and Teaching Research Projects Officer at the University of Worcester. He is now retired.