Ian is from West Yorkshire, brass band country! Having grown up listening to local championship section brass bands such as Brighouse & Rastrick and Black Dyke Mills Ian began playing the cornet at the age of 9. He played with numerous 1st section brass bands, youth orchestras & ensembles until moving to London to study a music degree at Brunel University. His teaching diploma in music was studied at Cambridge University.

Ian has been a secondary school teacher for 27 years in various institutions having moved to Ireland in 2006 to take up the post of Director of Music at Portora Royal School, Enniskillen from 2006-2013. He continues to teach music & sport at the newly formed Enniskillen Royal Grammar School. Before moving to Sligo in 2008 Ian was solo cornet with Murley Silver a championship section brass band in Co Tyrone winning the Northern Ireland championships in 2007 qualifying them to represent Northern Ireland at the European Championships in Norway 2008. Ian joined SAM in 2014 & is the lead brass tutor assisting in SAM concerts and also plays with the Sligo Concert Band.