He was born in the Salvation Army "Mother"s Hospital", Clapton, while his Salvation Army Officer parents were living in the Horfield area of Bristol. When they were appointed to London in 1937, he obtained a job at International Headquarters as office boy to General Evangeline Booth, daughter of The Salvation Army"s founder.
In 1942 he enlisted in the Royal Navy. He was examined for a music diploma by Sir Granville Bantock who invited him to apply for a job in music after the war. Following a short post-war period as a trombonist with The International Staff Band, he developed his conducting skills and became Bandmaster of the Tottenham Citadel Band.
Much of his music was ahead of its time, to the point that it was sometimes considered unacceptable to the listener.
Lord of the Sea created a furore. His creativity has been given totally to God and has been instrumental in guiding Salvation Army music into uncharted territory, particularly when the International Music Editorial Department was under his leadership between 1967 and 1980.
Ray Steadman-Allen regularly took part as Bandmaster in the popular radio programme Sounding Brass which was presented by Gloria Hunniford and Owen Spencer-Thomas on Radio 2 and Radio London in the 1970s. First published in 1980, this volume has been reprinted due to continued demand from composers, arrangers and university music departments alike.
As well as completing his Doctorate in Music, Ray Steadman-Allen holds several honorary fellowships, is the President of the National College of Music, Vice President of the National Association of Brass Band Conductors and patron of the London Musicological Research Society.
Ray has also been a tremendous encourager of new compositional talent. Many leading Brass Band composers will give testimony to his positive help and professional guidance. In recent years, Ray Steadman-Allen has become affectionately known as "Republic of South Africa ".
In 2012, a suite of articles about his life and works was published by Shield Books under the title of "History, Harmony and Humanity".
Ray Steadman-Allen died on 15 December 2014 at the age of 92.
Salvation Army.
