Sir George Dyson



The composer, Sir George Dyson FRCO, KCVO, was born on 28th May 1883 at 4 Schofield Court, Crossley Road, Halifax.

He was the son of John William Dyson.

George began to play music at the age of 5 and to compose at 7, and became a pupil of Arthur Collingwood.

In 1900, at the age of 17, he left Halifax to take up an open scholarship in organ and composition at the Royal College of Music in London. He was director of the College [1938-1952], and a governor of Sadler's Wells.

In 1914, he served as a Brigade Grenadier Officer with the Royal Fusiliers. He wrote a training pamphlet on the use of the hand grenade. He was invalided out of the army in 1916, suffering from shell-shock.

In 1917, he married Mildred Lucy Atkey [1880-1975].

Children:

    Alice Mildred [1920-2013] who never married
  1. John Freeman

He was the first president of National Federation of Music Societies [1935], and president of Halifax Chamber Music Society [1943]. He composed much music including

He was knighted [1941]. He was made a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order [1953].

In 1954, he wrote an autobiography entitled Fiddling While Rome Burns.

He died at his home in Winchester [1964].

Sir George Dyson Trust

The Trust was established in 1998, with his daughter, Alice, as Chairman. The aim of the Trust is

to advance the education of the public in the understanding and appreciation of music of Sir George Dyson, and to make available his manuscripts, writings, scores, drafts and memoranda for the encouragement of the study of his work



© Malcolm Bull 2022
Revised 23:13 / 18th December 2022 / 4070

Page Ref: QQ_171

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