In 1935, aged 14, Ivor entered the Royal Artillery in Woolwich and gained a scholarship to the Royal College of Music, where he studied oboe with Léon Goossens and made friends with Malcolm Arnold.
Ivor entered the Royal Artillery in Woolwich at the age of 14 in 1935 and was awarded a scholarship to attend the renowned Royal College of Music, where he honed his oboe skills with Léon Goossens and formed a lasting bond with Malcolm Arnold.