Ian played piano from the age of seven, gained a B.Mus. in music Education at Adelaide Conservatorium and studied cello for many years afterwards to pursue chamber music, especially the large string quartet repertoire. 

Following an opportunity to work on a cross cultural music program via Adelaide University’s  Dept. Ethnomusicology, he spent many years learning to sing and dance Pitjantjatjara corroborees.

However, after many years learning from his Pitjantjajtara teachers, it became imperative to find his own totemic ancestors and thence he plunged back into the culture through which one can grow most deeply, the culture of one’s birth and training, which meant Bach, Beethoven and that tradition of the most demanding and rewarding of Western music masters.

 Hence the starting of the Amatori singing group and later Amatori orchestra in Mullumbimby, with the two aims of providing an opportunity for singers and players to enter more deeply into the better known works of the top composers, and to provide local audiences with opportunities to hear this wonderful music live.