Giles took up the viol and baroque flute after hearing the recordings of David
Munrow at school. After studying music at university, he joined the Medieval
Players Theatre Company, the musical offshoot of which became The Carnival
Band. His interest in traditional music led to work with June Tabor, Maddy Prior
and Irish band Afterhours, later becoming a founder member of Bellowhead.
He toured for over 20 years with The Dufay Collective, forming a duo, Alva, with
singer Vivien Ellis, to explore the links between Medieval and Folk traditions.
He took time out to study Arabic violin in Cairo with Ashraf Sarki and Abdou
Daghr, and currently works with Oxford Maqam on a project of the songs of
Abdel Halim.