Biography

Born in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, UK in 1975, Keri has felt a strong connection to music from as early as she can remember. She was lovingly brought up in a not particularly musical household (though she remembers happily singing along with her mums organ playing; Perfidia is permanently engrained!). Her dad still tinkers on the acoustic guitar and actually can play his own little repertoire of pieces very nicely.

Never having been a particularly brave school choir member, she found her feet in the schools recorder group which boasted recorders from sopranino to bass. Having got to grips quickly with the descant recorder and having tried the others, she soon settled on the sopranino, liking the sweet sound (possibly not so sweet to her parents ears at the time!). Soon afterwards a visiting band from the local secondary school paid a visit and played a mini concert for the Primary school. It was here that a Clarinet was viewed (and suitably yearned for for the next 2 years....it was a 'grown up' recorder with nice shiny key for goodness sake!). Having been told that she may be able to take up the clarinet at secondary school (such a wait) she meanwhile filled in her every spare moment on a digital keyboard, listening to Jean Michel Jarre, working out and playing the music, then creating her own sounds, effects, and pieces in a similar style. She found this engrossing and often 2 or more hours could pass in this 'other world!

Eventually she FINALLY got her hands on a rather battered and bruised school clarinet aged around 12 / 13. Grades 3 and 5 were taken in quick sucession and she began to think about taking this hobby further. However, teenage years took hold and music took a back seat (she was now studying for A levels in Art, English, Music and Sociology).

Keri had been treated to a rather old but serviceable piano as all students had been informed they should aim for grade 5 piano at A level music. Sadly on returning home one day soon after she found it had had to be sold (both parents were unfortunately made redundant from their jobs in the same month).

Having completed the A levels she began training as a nurse but this was short lived after almost fainting at a hospital! She promptly left the hospital never to return there (or to nursing college!) again. She quickly found work in a design studio for a promotions company in Chesterfield and enjoyed operating the repographics camera and particularly touching up / altering the artwork.

After marriage (and then the arrival of Lauren) the light bulb finally came on as Keri realised it was music that she adored and wanted to do. There was now a driven force behind this desire and the clarinet was dusted off and she began lessons with Trevor Vernon (Sutton-in-Ashfield). Whilst bringing up now two children (due to the arrival of Lewis in 2000) she soon took grade 6, then 8, bought a saxophone (on rather a whim!) did grade 6, bought a flute, and again another grade 6. Flute lessons with Susan Leigh in Ravenshead resulted in grade 8 flute with merit and the Diploma in Clarinet teaching (with distinction). She had now begun teaching a handful of willing 'guinea pigs' in order to build her teaching skills, and also attending ABRSM workshops gaining inspiration from Paul Harris; a leading expert in simulateneous learning, teaching, and thinking 'outside the box'.

Meanwhile the saxophone playing was gaining momentum and around the time of taking grade 8 Keri participated in the Nottingham Saxday for the first time (www.saxday.co.uk ). It was here that she heard the saxophone played Classically for the first time and it completely blew her away! She then began lessons with Alistair Parnell (Nottingham), resulting in grade 8 soprano saxophone (distinction) and the ABRSM performance diploma (saxophone).

It was around this time (2008) that she began to put her musical thoughts down in composition and her first composition was accepted for publication Songs for Claire by Spartan Press in 2008. she was subsequently contacted and asked to be a regular composer for a well known well established music publisher in addition to other interested parties and encouraged by this she set up www.masquerade-music.co.uk the name under which all her other compositions are published. They have been performed worldwide and the publications are now branching out into wider distribution; recently including the expansive www.musicroom.com and June Emerson .

Keri now spends most of her time teaching private pupils, composing, learning and completing her own goals, and playing solo and as part of Equinox saxophone ensemble. She plays regularly (improvising modern worship mainly on saxes and flute) most weeks at the junction 28 church, South Normanton and finds great satisfaction from playing for this 'higher purpose'. She has far more plans in store, many more acheivements yet to acheive, and hopefully many lives to inspire yet.......watch this space!