Robert Ramskill was born in Leeds in 1950. He studied music at the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth.

In 1975 he moved to Coventry to work as a music lecturer, initially at the Coventry School of Music and, from 1996, as Course Director for the music degree courses at Coventry University (achieving the status of Principal Lecturer in the process).

During this time he feels that he has played a small part in making new generations of music students aware of the importance of traditional musical values. At the same time he has enjoyed the great personal benefits that working with young musicians for 34 years have brought in ensuring that he has always kept in touch with contemporary developments in music. In August 2009 he retired from his teaching post and now works as a free-lance composer and arranger. In July 2010 he was awarded a PhD by Portfolio by Coventry University.