This site, and the drive to build and maintain a research database of early keyboard instruments based on open standards, is the initiative of Simon Field. Simon is the technical lead in the 'Boalch Online' project being led by the University of Edinburgh.
Simon graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Edinburgh in 1981, home of one of the great collections of historical keyboard instruments, the Russell Collection. Professionally, Simon caught the technology bug, and after working for a number of advanced technology organisations in the UK, he joined IBM's prestigious Zurich Research Laboratory in 1996, where he led the e-business Research Group during the exciting dot com boom of the late 1990's.
He returned to the United Kingdom in 2004 to take up the role of Chief Technology Officer for the Office for National Statistics. Alongside his day job, Simon is pursuing a Doctor of Business Administration degree in Public Service Management at the University of Glamorgan Business School.
Simon is married to the Swiss pianist, Nadia Field. They live in Llandaff, Cardiff, with their son, Robert, who was born in March 2000.