Gareth Stainer comes of a family of professional musicians – his great-grandfather Sir John Stainer wrote The Crucifixion. Gareth’s early musical experience was as a chorister of Salisbury Cathedral. His mother, Thea, who herself was a pupil of Leon Goossens, taught him the oboe. He played in the UK National Youth Orchestra and passed his ARCM before going up to Cambridge: but decided not to make music his first career. The oboe had to play second fiddle while he was a management consultant. He was fortunate in being able to retire early and return to his first love, music. He took lessons at the Royal Academy of Music with the renowned teacher and old NYO friend, Celia Nicklin. He now plays in a variety of orchestras and chamber groups in East Anglia. He has been the Artistic Director of the Thaxted Festival, in Essex, for the last six years.