Born in London on July 30th, 1924; Christopher Shaw was an English composer. He studied at New College, Oxford (1942–4).

While his relatively approachable Sonata found a publisher, every work of the next 20 years, apart from the written-to-order No Room at the Inn, remained in manuscript. Although the successful première of the cantata Peter and the Lame Man brought an immediate offer of publication, Shaw declined it, and for the rest of his life preferred to compose in relative seclusion while at the same time leading an active life as accompanist, coach, translator and a key figure in the touring programme of the Opera Players. Most of his later work remained unperformed at the time of his death.

He died on Sept 27th, 1995.