Yesterday, composer Raymond Yiu appeared on Radio 4’s One to One show with Kate Silverton to discuss his fear of failure, and how it has affected his work and adult life. Born and raised in Hong Kong, Raymond was the eldest child in his family, and despite his love for music, the high expectations his parents had for him and their strict discipline, Raymond felt he was not good enough to pursue a career in music.

Raymond discusses his career in engineering, and how he despised going to work everyday in a job that was not what he wanted to do, however, with no formal qualifications he was reluctant to take the plunge into composing for a living. Even with his commission for Aldeburgh Festival, when the performance of The Original Chinese Conjuror was sold out, Raymond did not feel he was a good enough composer to give up his full time job. However, following the tragic loss of a friend, Raymond found the confidence to give up his job and dedicated his time to doing what he loved. He describes how he still has the fear of failure, but it affects him in a positive way as it provides him with the drive to continue doing what he loves the most.

To listen to the full interview, visit BBC iPlayer here.