Clive Strutt was born on April 19th 1942 in Aldershot, Hampshire, England. Early exposure to classical music came via the radio when his father, Edward, listened on Sunday afternoons to orchestral concert broadcasts. These usually featured Beethoven to such an extent that Clive grew up for several years under the impression that there was ever only one composer, namely Beethoven! Later his Aunt Hilda used to play the piano to him - a particular favourite was "The Blue Danube Waltz" by Strauss. Seeing the printed music on the page exercised a particular fascination, leading to attempts to write down music. Clive was given piano lessons from the age of 8 with a local teacher, Mrs. MacPherson. After she died about 6 years later there were one or two years  with no music instruction, and Clive would borrow music scores from the library to study. Interest in music increased during his secondary education at Farnborough Grammar School, and he took violin lessons, switching later to viola, with a local music teacher, Helen Johnston. In order to enter for "A" level music it was necessary to pass grade VI in piano, and to this end formal lessons were resumed with another local piano teacher, Colin Campbell. By this time more serious attempts at composition were in hand, and eventually applications to enter the Royal Academy of Music, and the Royal College of Music were made. The former made a time-limited offer, which was accepted. At the R.A.M. Clive chose to study composition with Lennox Berkeley, and other subjects included viola (for one year only) with Watson Forbes, orchestration (for years 2 and 3) with Leighton Lucas, and piano with Robert O. Edwards, and occasionally other teachers such as Hamish Milne, and Georgina Smith. Harmony was studied with Noel Cox. The final year exams saw Clive's first symphony passing division V, with the added bonus of a cash prize. Clive has devoted much of the rest of his time to composing works in many categories - nine symphonies, three piano sonatas, twelve books of madrigals for four voices, numerous other choral, orchestral and chamber works.