ed ▁a ▁brief ▁but ▁memor able ▁encounter ▁with ▁El gar ▁after ▁a ▁re he ars al ▁of ▁The ▁Dream ▁of ▁Ger ont ius . ▁ ▁S ums ion ▁earned ▁an ▁under grad uate ▁degree ▁in ▁music ▁from ▁Dur ham ▁University ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 0 ▁and ▁continued ▁in ▁his ▁post ▁at ▁Gl ouc ester ▁until ▁ 1 9 2 2 , ▁when ▁he ▁emb ark ed ▁for ▁London ▁to ▁become ▁organ ist ▁of ▁Christ ▁Church , ▁Lanc aster ▁Gate . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 4 ▁he ▁took ▁on ▁two ▁additional ▁posts — direct or ▁of ▁music ▁at ▁Bishop ' s ▁St ort ford ▁College , ▁north ▁of ▁London , ▁and ▁a ▁teaching ▁position ▁at ▁Mor ley ▁College . ▁ ▁He ▁also ▁studied ▁conduct ing ▁with ▁Ad rian ▁Bou lt ▁at ▁the ▁Royal ▁College ▁of ▁Music , ▁though ▁Bou lt ▁observed ▁that ▁S ums ion ' s ▁conduct ing ▁technique ▁was ▁already ▁well - develop ed . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁Royal ▁College ▁of ▁Music ▁S ums ion ▁also ▁met ▁R . ▁O . ▁Morris , ▁professor ▁of ▁counter point ▁and ▁composition . ▁ ▁When ▁Morris ▁accepted ▁a ▁position ▁at ▁the ▁Curt is ▁Institute ▁of ▁Music ▁in ▁Philadelphia , ▁he ▁asked ▁S ums ion ▁to ▁serve ▁as ▁his ▁assistant ; ▁the ▁two , ▁along ▁with ▁Morris ' s ▁wife ▁Em m ie , ▁depart ed ▁for ▁America ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁September ▁ 1 9 2 6 . ▁ ▁The ▁Curt is ▁Institute ▁was ▁then ▁a ▁conserv atory ▁in ▁its ▁inf ancy