▁student ▁or chestra ▁at ▁the ▁Royal ▁Academy ▁of ▁Music . ▁He ▁had ▁an ▁enorm ous ▁influence ▁on ▁the ▁musical ▁life ▁of ▁Britain ▁over ▁his ▁long ▁career : ▁he ▁and ▁New man ▁greatly ▁improved ▁access ▁to ▁classical ▁music , ▁and ▁Wood ▁raised ▁the ▁standard ▁of ▁orch est ral ▁playing ▁and ▁n urt ured ▁the ▁taste ▁of ▁the ▁public , ▁present ing ▁a ▁vast ▁re per toire ▁of ▁music ▁sp anning ▁four ▁centuries . ▁ ▁Biography ▁ ▁Early ▁years ▁Wood ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Oxford ▁Street , ▁London , ▁the ▁only ▁child ▁of ▁Henry ▁Joseph ▁Wood ▁and ▁his ▁wife ▁Mar tha , ▁n ée ▁Morris . ▁Wood ▁senior ▁had ▁started ▁in ▁his ▁family ' s ▁pa wn bro king ▁business , ▁but ▁by ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁his ▁son ' s ▁birth ▁he ▁was ▁trad ing ▁as ▁a ▁j ew eller , ▁opt ician ▁and ▁engineering ▁mod eller , ▁much ▁sought - after ▁for ▁his ▁model ▁engines . ▁It ▁was ▁a ▁musical ▁household : ▁Wood ▁senior ▁was ▁an ▁amateur ▁cell ist ▁and ▁sang ▁as ▁principal ▁ten or ▁in ▁the ▁cho ir ▁of ▁St ▁Sep ul ch re - without - New gate , ▁known ▁as ▁" the ▁mus icians ' ▁church ". ▁▁ ▁His ▁wife ▁played ▁the ▁piano ▁and ▁sang ▁songs ▁from ▁her ▁native ▁Wales . ▁They ▁encourag ed ▁their ▁son ' s ▁interest ▁in ▁music , ▁bu ying ▁him ▁a ▁Broad wood ▁piano , ▁on ▁which ▁his ▁mother ▁gave ▁him ▁less ons . ▁The ▁young ▁Wood ▁also ▁learned ▁to ▁play ▁the ▁viol in ▁and ▁vi ola