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five. He was educated (1932–37) at Lincoln School, where he formed his first jazz group, which included a young Neville Marriner, later a major figure in the world of classical music. At sixteen, he attended the Royal Academy of Music, studying composition under Harry Farjeon and William Alwyn. After leaving the Academy, Race (encouraged by the classical music critic of the News Chronicle, Scott Goddard) wrote occasional dance band reviews for Melody Maker and, in 1939, joined the Harry Leader dance band as pianist, succeeding Norrie Paramor. Race joined the Royal Air Force in 1941, and formed a jazz/dance quintet. After the Second World War, he began a long and productive career with the BBC, where his ready wit, musicianship and broad musical knowledge made him much sought after as a musical accompanist for panel games and magazine shows, such as Whirligig and Many a Slip. In, 1949 The Steve Race Bop Group recorded some of the first British bebop records for the Paxton label. These included four sides with Leon Calvert, Johnny Dankworth, Peter Chilver, Norman Burns (drums), Jack Fulton (bass) and Race on piano, and four more (with the addition of saxophonist Freddy Gardner) as the Bosworth Modern Jazz Group on the Bosworth label. He also developed a sideline arranging player piano rolls for the Artona company. From the 1950s to the 1980s, he presented numerous music programmes on radio and television. Additionally, in 1955, he was appointed the first Light Music Advisor to the independent television company Associated-Rediffusion. He is probably best known as the chairman of the long-running light-hearted radio and TV panel game My Music which ran from 1967 to 1994. He presented and wrote most of the questions for all 520 episodes broadcast. He also presented Jazz For Moderns on radio and Jazz 625 on television for the BBC in the 1960s. Away from music, for two years from 1970 Race co-presented (with William Hardcastle) the BBC Radio 4 "drive-time" news magazine PM. On this video another light music gem by Steve Race with a slightly more exotic and melancholy feel to the piece introduced by the accordion and mandolin. Coloured images courtesy of 'Caters News Agency' from 1940's Paris, taken during the German occupation accompany the Faraway Music. Make of this what you will, but enjoy the music and celebrate freedom. Album Info:- The Golden Age of Light Music: Holidays for Strings. Faraway Music - Steve Race And His Orchestra; 2012 Guild Music. Apologies for any unintended infringement of copyright. In mitigation there is no element of profit or personal gain in the making of this video and any offence caused is totally unintentional.