WHEN DID YOU TAKE UP THE OBOE AND WHY?
When I was 7. My mum is a clarinet teacher and I was always wanting to have a go on her clarinet. She didn’t want me to play the same instrument as her though so I ended up playing the oboe!
WHEN DID YOU DECIDE TO PURSUE A PROFESSIONAL CAREER?
When I applied for music college. The other option was to go to uni and do languages, but I quickly realised I couldn’t imagine not playing the oboe.
WHEN YOU’RE NOT PLAYING, WHAT ELSE INSPIRES YOU?
I’ve recently got into pastels, which I love. I enjoy being creative in a different way, without having a clue what I’m doing.
IF YOU COULD TALK TO YOURSELF AT THE START OF YOUR CAREER, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY?
Play how you want to - don’t make yourself fit in someone else’s box.
TELL US SOMETHING THAT NOBODY KNOWS ABOUT YOU?
I don’t like going to the hairdresser so I cut my own hair.
WHAT’S THE BEST THING ABOUT PLAYING WITH MULTI-STORY?
It’s hard to pick one thing! It’s probably the atmosphere at the concerts - there is a real buzz of excitement from both the orchestra and the audience and the barrier you normally feel between the two in more traditional concerts isn’t there.
Also the snacks we have in the breaks are pretty great (hula hoops and flying saucers are my fave).
WHAT WAS YOUR FAVOURITE PROJECT WITH US?
The schools project last year - we played Rameau to loads of kids in Peckham and Gloucester and they loved it. Lots of them had never seen an oboe before and I really enjoyed seeing their reactions to our instrument demos and performances.
WHY IS MUSIC IMPORTANT TO YOU?
I find it hard to imagine life without music. I think it would be quite dull!
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A YOUNG PERFORMER?
I think try to find a way to share your music with people - put on small chamber music concerts (maybe even outdoors or online to start with).
FAVOURITE PIECE TO PLAY?
Mobile by Heinz Holliger, for oboe and harp. It consists of 12 short fragments of music which can be joined together in 3 different orders - you can choose to play each fragment only once, or go through the piece 3 times with a different order each time.
HOW DO YOU UNWIND AFTER A PERFORMANCE?
Ideally with friends and a glass of wine or gin, but more often than not it’s a tinny on the train.
