Ian started playing the violin at the age of seven with Wim Schroten at the Music School in Weert.
Since 2000 Ian studies the Royal Conservatory in The Hague. He has studied with Coosje Wijzenbeek and currently with Peter Brunt and Jaring Walta.

In 1999 Ian won third prize in the inter-provincial music competition of ‘The Foundation for Young Music Talent in Holland’.

Since several years Ian is a member of the En-Accord String Quartet, in which he plays the violin. The En-Accord String Quartet was founded in June 1998 for the occasion of participation in the Orlando Festival for Chamber music. Since then, the Quartet performs regularly in Holland.
In the same festival he had played the viola with another quartet, which brought a new personal viewpoint and interest of ensemble playing.

Since 2003 The En-Accord Quartet has been taking part in the introductory course of the NSKA (Dutch String Quartet Academy) under the guidance of Stefan Metz (Orlando Quartet).
During the course, Ian had followed lessons by members of quartets such as the Borodin Quartet, Juilliard Quartet, Amadeus Quartet, and Quatuor Mosaiques.

In April 2005, The En-Accord String Quartet won the second prize in the international Charles Hennen Competition for Chamber music.

Ian played in several youth orchestras including the Atheneum Chamber Orchestra and the Netherlands National Youth Orchestra, under the guidance of Mark Wigglesworth, Philippe Herreweghe and Reinbert de Leeuw.

He plays a Joannes Danieli violin (Italy 1780) and a Morizot bow from the Dutch Foundation for Musical Instruments (NMF). This foundation invited him to take part in a masterclass with Theo Olof in 2003.
Ian also followed masterclasses by Herman Krebbers, Jan-Willem de Vriend and Mauricio Fuks.