Delia Derbyshire

Delia Derbyshire (May 5, 1937 - July 3, 2001) was a pioneer of electronic music. She is perhaps best known for her electronic realisation of Ron Grainer's theme music to the British science fiction te

Delia Derbyshire (May 5, 1937 - July 3, 2001) was a pioneer of electronic music. She is perhaps best known for her electronic realisation of Ron Grainer's theme music to the British science fiction television series Doctor Who at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop.

Educated at Coventry Grammar School, Derbyshire then completed a degree in mathematics and music at Girton College, Cambridge. In 1959 she applied for a position at Decca Records only to be told that the company did not employ women in their recording studios. Instead she took a position at the UN in Geneva, soon returning to London to work for music publishers Boosey and Hawkes.