"Terence Gilmore-James, a native of Abergavenny, was organist and choirmaster at St Mary's Priory Church and a member of the Gwent Bach Society in his teens. After graduating at Aberystwyth University, he won several scholarships for post-graduate studies at the Royal College of Music, London, where his tutors included Sir Adrian Boult (conducting), Dr. Gordon Jacob (composition and orchestration) and Richard Popplewell (organ).

After his marriage to Grace, elder daughter of the composer Mansel Thomas, he taught at Stowe School and then was Head of Music successively at Queen Mary's College, Basingstoke and at Abingdon School. During these years he was also conductor of the choral societies in Buckingham, Basingstoke and Abingdon, during which time he directed concerts with a number of famous artists and with a wide range of music from Byrd to Britten, including first performances of commissioned works.

After the death of his father-in-law, he returned to Gwent to edit the works of Mansel Thomas for publication by the Mansel Thomas Trust and to undertake doctorate studies and research on the composer's life and music. He is a Tutor in music for the Cardiff University Extra-Mural Department, an examiner for the Associated Board and a concert organist; he has been guest conductor with the Gwent Bach Society on a number of occasions."