Terence Allbright was born in Northampton where he taught himself to play the piano and began composing. He became a teenage organist and choirmaster, then studied piano and composition in London and at Jesus College, Cambridge, where he was Organ Scholar. While there he worked with oriental music authority Laurence Picken and with Professor of Animal Behaviour W H Thorpe.

Among his early compositions are more than 40 scores which he composed and played or directed for BBC Radio Drama. Since 1996, he has been composing continuously.