I’m a fairly keen musician, having played piano throughout my life. I can listen to most genres with interest, though I have a special fondness for Romantic-period solo piano (especially Chopin), brass band music (I was in a brass band for several years, playing percussion), and progressive metal/rock (favourite band: Neal Morse Band).
I have taught piano to young students since I was 15. At the moment, I’m teaching my own children, which is great fun!
I also like creative writing. I haven’t done a whole lot of it in my adult life, though I still write the occasional poem. I did write a tongue-in-cheek ‘epic’ for a research talk I once gave. In terms of literature, I can’t say I’m particularly sophisticated; my favourites include anything Tolkien (especially the Silmarillion), C.S. Lewis (especially Narnia and his philosophical/religious works), the Bible, The Wheel of Time (Robert Jordan) and anything by Brandon Sanderson.
In terms of sports, I always had a fondness for cricket. I played consistently from when I was seven til seventeen, typically as a medium-fast right-hand bowler (typically opener or first-change).