sentences:  In 2006 he was awarded a PhD from Royal Holloway, University of London, where, with financial assistance from the Arts and Humanities Research Council, he studied composition with film composer Brian Lock.He has attended a number of composition classes in mainland Europe with composers such as Harrison Birtwistle and Helmut Lachenmann, and participated in Brian Ferneyhough's composition course at Royaumont Abbey (Fondation Royaumont) in 1994 and 1995.In 1998 he was joint winner of the Gaudeamus International Composers Award; in 2007 he was the recipient of the 5th Marenco International Composition Prize.