Ian has worked as a freelance performer and session musician for many years specialising in Classical and Jazz piano.

Before studying for a bachelor’s degree in piano performance at Birmingham Conservatoire, he was sponsored by the Ken Colyer trust to spend time in New Orleans, playing with musicians there and performing at some of the city’s prestigious venues such as Preservation Hall. Since then, he has continued to nurture a love of Jazz and Classical piano, going on to study for a master’s degree at the Royal Northern College Manchester and achieving a distinction in Jazz performance.

Other performance highlights have been playing Ravel’s concerto in G major at the Adrian Boult Hall and Milhaud’s la Création du Monde at Town Hall Birmingham with the CBSO Youth Orchestra.

From 2016 to 2018, he spent time living in Paris, France, studying Jazz piano and Harmony with Jean-Marie Averseng at le Centre d’Informations Musicales, and performing at many of the city’s venues such as the Théâtre Rutebeuf, le Caveau de la Huchette and le Caveau des Oubliettes.