1. How and when did you get interested in composing?

I had a band at school and would come in to rehearsals every week with these epic ten-minute instrumentals. All I've done since is learn how to write it down.

2. Is composing your 'day job' or do you do something else as well?

I teach composition at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.

3. Where do you mostly get your ideas?

Things generally start with what (instruments) and whom I'm writing for.

4. What are you working on at the moment?

I'm just finishing a large piece for Ken which is about two weeks away, so please forgive my brevity!

5. Describe your typical working day.

If I'm teaching I get up good and early, have a hearty breakfast, do some household chores, get the kids off to school, kiss my wife goodbye at the end of the garden path and cycle to work. If I'm not teaching I find enough trivial things to do until the day is at an end and I can concentrate on feeling guilty about all the composition I didn't do.

6. What is it like hearing a new piece played for the first time?

It is like watching a car-crash in VERY....SLOW....MOTION.

7. What has been the highlight of your career so far?

Working with Tom McGrath (Scottish Playwright) on The Answer Machine.

8. What has been the lowlight of your career so far?

I once had a piece played by a 'top' London ensemble in a 'top' London venue: both they and the audience would rather have been elsewhere.

9. What is your greatest ambition?

To pay next month's rent on time.

10. Which musician in history do you most admire and why?

The second oboist at the premiere of Strauss' Don Juan. Despite having the most horrific migraine he still played the gig.

11. Which present-day musician do you most admire and why?

Pierre Boulez for his tireless and selfless dedication to the promotion of young composers less French than he.

12. Which period of history would you most like to have lived in and why?

Any period before World War II because I would now be eligible for cheap travel on public transport/ entry to museums.

13. What is the best thing about being a composer?

You can convincingly argue (and believe) that you are the best in your field despite evidence to the contrary.

14. What is the worst thing about being a composer?

No money. It's not funny -- no money.

15. If you weren't a composer, what other career might you have chosen?

Composing is not a career: it's just what I do. If I had chosen composing as a career my music would now be very different. I don't know -- architect or something.

16. What is your concept of heaven?

Dry ice, high pitched singing, Angels....wait a minute -- that's a Robbie Williams gig.

17. What is your concept of hell?

A Robbie Williams gig.

18. What is your favourite food?

Freshly baked bread and pure Irish creamery butter (you know the one!)

19. If someone gave you three months off with unlimited travel and living expenses, what would you do?

Order pizza and stay in.

20. If you could have one thing in the world that would really help you as a composer, what would it be?

A low B on the bass clarinet.