Sam’s parents write: Sam loved singing and music from a very young age, taking play session sing-alongs very seriously. But even we were taken aback by his demand, at age 7, that ‘I want to sing in a choir, that sings high pitched songs about God’, particularly as we’re staunch atheists. Yet in January 2017 he started singing with the Chingford Parish Church choir, and adored it. His confidence and ability grew, helped by singing in great cathedrals like York Minster and Gloucester Cathedral, and in September 2018 Sam became a chorister in York Minster. He still sings there now, Covid permitting, and has been chosen for many solos.

Away from ecclesiastical circles, he’s also secured some leading roles in musicals—for example BoyFace (Redbridge Drama Centre) and Jonah in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Pauline Quirke Academy)—and has achieved grade one LAMDA, with a particularly stirring rendition of Where is Love?. Music is still his main passion in life. He is currently working towards grade five singing, grade five piano, and grade three French Horn.