The Irish-born composer Howard Ferguson, a native of Belfast, studied in London under the aegis of the pianist Harold Samuel. General education at Westminster School was followed by study of composition at the Royal College of Music with R.O.Morris and Vaughan Williams, and conducting with Malcolm Sargent, while continuing piano lessons with Samuel. He won early success as a composer between 1927 and his final work, completed in 1959, after which his relatively modest output as a composer came to an end. He won a continuing reputation through his editions of early keyboard music and later piano repertoire, as for his work as a performer, often in duo partnerships. His Concerto for piano and strings was commissioned to mark the Festival of Britain in 1951 and was first performed, with the composer as soloist, in Belfast in that year.