This talented composer was born on 2nd May 1905 in Haslingden, Lancashire. He reached his early twenties before deciding to take up music as his chosen career. First he undertook the study of dentistry. Of this Rawsthorne was to say "I gave that up, thank God, before getting near anyone's mouth": his friend Constant Lambert also commented, in characteristic style, "Mr Rawsthorne assures me that he has given up the practice of dentistry, even as a hobby." Having contrived not to pass any examinations in dentistry he went on to study architecture. By applying the same examination technique he paved the way for his entrance to The Royal Manchester College of Music to study the piano, 'cello and composition. On leaving college in 1930 he continued his studies abroad, notably with Egon Petri. From 1932-1934 he taught at Dartington Hall and was composer in residence for the School of Dance and Mime.

He gained his first notable success at the London Festival of the International Society for Contemporary Music in 1938 with a performance of his Theme and Variations for Two Violins. A further success was registered at the Warsaw Festival of the same organization in 1939 with his Symphonic Studies, a first and highly accomplished orchestral score, which was to win an established place in the orchestral repertoire.

Following the war, in which he served in the Army, he devoted himself to composition and between then and his death in 1971, though not prolific, he was to produce a number of substantial works in most of the established forms, many of these to commissions, including a very distinctive contribution to the genre of music for films.

He demonstrated his own and very distinctive voice from the very earliest of his published compositions. His works are marked by clarity of expression and form, craftsmanship and conciseness. His personality shows through in a degree of understatement, refusal to compromise or follow fashion and, where fitting, dry wit.

His is a voice now too infrequently heard in the concert hall, on record or radio. The time is ripe for making it audible once again and to this the Society is dedicated.

Alan Rawsthorne died in Cambridge on July 24th, 1971.