Adam Reece, MSc was born in Manchester and graduated from the University of Manchester with a 2:1 degree in Psychology. On graduation however he moved to Ireland and pursued a musical, as opposed to an academic career, writing and recording original music. When his daughter was born he returned to the UK and began to study for an MSc in Learning Disabilities at the University of Manchester, graduating in 2008. For his dissertation he focused on the impact music has on speech and communication for individuals with special needs. Continuing in this line of research, he enrolled as a candidate for a PhD at the University of Roehampton in the same year. In November 2014 he successfully defended his thesis ‘The interaction between music and language in learning and recall in children with autism spectrum condition.’ He currently works as a pianist and composer, and is also involved in research focusing on the importance of music in education. His thesis will be published within a self-contained chapter of a book edited by Professor Adam Ockelford later in the year, focusing on the impact music has on language for individuals with autism.