Clifton started to learn the piano three months before his third birthday, played in the Wigmore Hall in London at 4 and was featured in a Paramount cinema newsreel at 5 as the "Wee Wonder of Wycombe". He played his first piano concerto with an orchestra at 7, and earned his ARCM performer's diploma while still at school. Fortunately, he has put such behaviour behind him and now just plays the piano like anyone else of his age!