Eric Coates
Photograph copyright of the National Portrait Gallery NPG x86751
Eric Coates, 1886-1957
Lived at: 7 Willifield Way
Profession: Composer of light classical music
About his life:
- Studied at the Royal Academy of Music, primarily focusing on the viola and composition
- Suffered from pain in his left hand and numbness in his right, symptoms of the neuritis that affected him during the last years of his career as a violist
- Composed light orchestral works such as the suite Joyous Youth and Phantasies
- Composed music for Columbia Gramophone, attracting much interest, including from Elgar
- Wrote Calling All Workers for the Red Cross during the Second World War, which the BBC used as a signature tune
