She came from a musical family, and her father was a gifted musician who was close friends with Sir Adrian Boult and Donald Tovey.

[1] Dickson Martineau graduated with a BMus at the University of Edinburgh before attending the Royal Academy of Music In London, where she studied under Harold Craxton.

[3][4] Dickson Martineau and her sister Joan, a cellist, would often perform at Wednesday lunchtime concerts held at the Scottish National Gallery in Edinburgh, and hosted by Tertia Liebenthal.

Joan appeared as a cellist at the 699th of these concerts, during which Tertia died, following her announcement that the 700th would feature Peter Pears and Benjamin Britten.

The concert featured John Mark Ainsley, Lorna Anderson, Katie Bird, Karen Cargill, Nigel Cliffe, Rebecca Evans, Warren Gillespie, Janis Kelly, Jamie MacDougall, Patricia MacMahon, Ann Murray, Christopher Nairne, Linda Ormiston, Nicky Spence, Damien Thantrey, and Catherine Wyn-Rogers.