Mary Plumstead(1905-1980)

Mary Plumstead (nee Frost) was born in 1905 in Upper Warlingham, Surrey, where her father was a solicitor. She was educated at Croydon High School where she studied piano. She was briefly a student at the Royal Academy of Music in London, long enough to complete her LRAM in aural training and sight singing. A composer and pianist, she also lectured in composition, advocating what she called ‘self composition’. Several large scale pieces were performed in the 1951 Festival of Britain, however she shone in the small scale world of songs, part songs and vocal music of all kinds, and her word setting is second to none. She was married to an estate agent and retired to Devon to enjoy gardening, swimming and cats.