Ron Goodwin

Ron Goodwin was born in Plymouth on 17 February 1925 and became world famous as a band leader and for his compositions and film scores.

Son of a policeman, he learned the piano at an early age and later studied the trumpet at the Guildhall School of Music. He had a number of jobs before he started to work as a conductor in recording sessions for pop music stars, including Petula Clark and he accompanied Peter Sellars in his Goodness Gracious Me album. He progressed to being guest conductor with many orchestras around the world, won three Ivor Novella Awards and was given an honorary Freedom of the City of London.

He will be best remembered for his film scores e.g. Where Eagles Dare, 633 Squadron, Battle of Britain, Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines. He suffered from asthma and passed away at home in 2003.

Music