He studied at the University of Canterbury, completing a doctorate on the manipulation of environmental sound sources in electroacoustic music.
He returned to New Zealand in 1990 to take up a position at Victoria University of Wellington where he became a Senior Lecturer and Director of the Electroacoustic Music Studios.
In November 2000 he joined the Music, Technology and Innovation Research Centre at De Montfort University in Leicester (UK) where he became Professor of Composition.
[2] His main interest in composition continues to be in acousmatic music, particularly forms based on the interplay between recognizable natural sound sources and computer-based studio transformations, but also combines electroacoustics with instrumental media.
He has also given invited concerts and talks at many other places around the world, including well-known BEAST series in Birmingham (UK), at the Ai-maako festival (Santiago, Chile) and Sonoimágenes (Remedios de Escalada / Buenos Aires, Argentina).