User:John1701

Gypsy John
I live in Denton, Greater Manchester.

My knowledge extends to various areas of philosophy, religious studies, music, science, English language and world literature.

Education
Subjects in which I hold A-level qualifications include Religious Studies, English Language and English Literature. I also hold an AS-level in Classical Civilisation.

In 2011, I achieved a BA (Hons) degree in  Theology & Religious Studies at York St. John University.

Musical abilities
From an early age until adulthood, I recieved professional tuition in both the violin and the viola, and performed with a number of different orchestras. I learned to play both instruments to a grade 5 standard, although in recent years I have no longer played either instrument.

As a folkie, I have been a regular performer at several different folk clubs, where I usually sing and accompany myself on the 12-string guitar.

I have also taught myself to play a variety of other instruments. These include the mandolin, tin whistle, harmonica, tenor banjo and the spoons.

I regularly compose songs and musical pieces of my own.

My stage name is Gypsy John, after Donovan's traveling companion, Gypsy Dave.

Other interests
I'm very enthusiastic about real ales. I was once a member of the Bradford University Real Ale Society, and I've visited several different breweries and festivals and have a fair knowledge of different ales from around Britain.

I'm a great aficionado of detective fiction, particularly the Sherlock Holmes stories of Conan Doyle.

I love solving cryptic crosswords, and also enjoy creating my own cryptic clues. I was previously the puzzle compiler for York St. John's student newspaper.

I have a keen interest in the visual arts, and ocassionally like to draw and paint.

Languages
English is the only language that I can speak fluently. However, I do have a basic grasp of German, as well as a good knowledge of musical terms in Italian, and a little knowledge of Latin and Sanskrit.

Contributions
See my contributions here.