Peter Ury

Peter Ury was a German-born composer who fled to England in 1939 to escape Nazi persecution. Prior to his emigration, he was actively involved in his local community in Ulm, where he played the organ at the synagogue. After settling in the UK, Ury pursued a multifaceted career, applying his linguistic skills as a translator for the British Army and working at the Deutscher Kulturbund until 1946.

As a composer, Ury's output encompassed a range of genres, including songs, instrumental music, musical theatre, and ballet. Notable collaborations include the children's opera Timothy, which was based on a story by Theodor Storm and featured a libretto by theatre director Peter Zadek. Ury also worked with Zadek on the miracle play Der Judaskuss, and provided music for ballet productions, such as The Family Suite, in collaboration with dancers Lotte and Ernest Berk. In addition to his compositional work, Ury taught music at Trinity College London and served as music assistant at the Old Vic theatre school.