Ian Roy was born in Aberdeen, Scotland and attended Wick High School. He began playing the piano at age eight and studied initially with Emma Bruce in Wick. After leaving Wick High School he studied for two degrees in maths/physics at the University of Aberdeen. He then worked on two research contracts at the Universities of Plymouth and Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Thereafter he worked for the ship saftey departement of QinetiQ at Rosyth and then for Petroleum Experts in Edinburgh. He now works as an engineer analyst for OLEO International and has piano lessons with Anthony Williams.