I was born in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, in 1957. As a schoolboy I learned to play the piano, organ, clarinet and most brass instruments, and dabbled in the cello for a while. I studied at the University of Cape Town from 1976 to 1979 and graduated with the Bachelor of Music degree with a major in composition. During this time I was organ scholar at St. George’s (Anglican) Cathedral with its superb Hill organ. For six years after that I was a clarinettist in a military band, and then a scholl teacher, while also leading a contemporary music ensemble, being organist of various churches (finally assistant organist at Cape Town cathedral again) and writing a big work for large orchestra which earned me an M.Mus from the University Of Cape Town. With two scholarships in my pocket I