Moeran (pronounce: “MOOR-an”) was born in Heston, to the west of London. His father was an Irish clergyman. Ernest spent most of his childhood living on the coast of Norfolk. He learned to play the violin and the piano. At first he was taught at home by a governess. When he was ten he went to school. In 1908, he went to Uppingham School where he spent five years. When he left school in 1913 he started to study piano and composition at the Royal College of Music with Charles Villiers Stanford.