Simon began playing the piano at the age of four, having both perfect pitch and the ability to immediately play anything that he heard. Training as a ‘classical’ pianist followed, he also studied the violoncello and spent several formative years as a chorister whilst at grammar school. Gaining his LTCL, whilst embarking upon a chemistry degree, he was casually asked to musically direct a touring theatre production. So began an exciting career in the theatre as both musical director and arranger for countless musical productions. Over a period spanning more than two decades, Simon musically directed and orchestrated scores for a large portfolio of popular shows and musicals, in virtually all the major theatres around the UK. From favourites such as ‘Blood Brothers’, ‘The Wizard of Oz’, ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’, ‘Annie’, ‘The Boyfriend’, ’South Pacific’, ‘Guys and Dolls’, ‘Robert and Elizabeth’, ‘Godspell’, ‘Hello, Dolly!’, ‘Mame’ and ‘West Side Story’, to those with an original concept; ‘Patsy Cline – A Musical Tribute’, ‘She Knows You Know’, ‘Stand By Your Man’, ‘Houdini - The Musical’, ‘Rave On!’ and a whole repertoire of pantomimes! Escapades abroad include an extensive German tour of ‘Oklahoma!’ and the fabulous ‘Elvis the Legend’ in Sweden, with an American cast and a mixed Swedish/English orchestra. Throughout his career, in musicals, concerts, summer seasons, television broadcasts and cabaret, Simon has had the pleasure of working with a multitude of our most celebrated television and variety performers. He has fulfilled many contracts aboard the QE2, Saga Rose, Balmoral, Boudicca and Saga Pearl II cruise liners as both Pianist and Musical Director. Revisiting academia, Simon recommenced his classical piano studies, took up the pipe organ at Chichester Cathedral and developed a keen interest in composition. He holds both BA(Hons) and MA degrees in Music, a PhD in Composition from the University of Sussex, and a Performer's Diploma from Trinity College, London. In addition to his career in the theatre, he has invested much time, over the last twelve years, lecturing students in the specialist areas of musical development, arranging, orchestration and composition. A highly experienced pianist with a vast repertoire of popular music, standards and selections from musical theatre and film at his fingertips, Simon’s skills at the piano keyboard still remain very important and unique to him. Turning his attention back to performance once more, a formidable natural facility supported by much formal training and professional experience, he is comfortable engaging with a wide and extremely diverse range of music, from the popular end of the spectrum right across the board to a more ‘classical’ repertoire.
