Hi Everyone. I am the soprano cornet player in the Third Carrickfergus Band – I’m the one on the extreme left going purple!!

My music career started at the tender age of three when I tickled the ivories for the first time and showed my older sister how it should be done. I have concentrated my life to music and I attained a BMus (Hons) degree from the University of Ulster in 2003.

I have played in many ensembles throughout my career to date, the most memorable being the Ulster Youth Orchestra in 2001 with En Shao conducting.

As well as teaching kids at school, I also conduct the junior band on Saturday mornings. This is great fun and very rewarding work.

I also repair musical instruments and have my own business working mostly with brass instruments, however, I have built my own acoustic guitar.

In my spare time, of which I have little, I can be found on my allotment growing my own vegetables. Other activities include walking my boxer dog “Hailey” and flying my kite – the canvas type! My biggest passion is following the Northern Ireland football team and playing the trumpet at the matches.