A graduate of Cambridge University, Roderick Shaw at the same time studied as a keyboard player at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague and in Amsterdam founded the chamber choir and orchestra The Academy of Begynhof, which he directed for some ten years in concerts and recordings.

His career has brought collaboration as an accompanist with some of the most distinguished musicians of Europe.

He has lived in Cologne since 1986, working as a freelance pianist for West German Radio and as harpsichordist for the Cologne Chamber Orchestra.