[1] Born into a large coal-mining family and raised in Merthyr Tydfil, Jones studied at the Royal Academy of Music as a scholarship student in London from 1920 to 1925.

He was for a time organist at the Welsh Baptist Church in Castle Street, London, worked at the Royal Opera House, as a vocal coach at Covent Garden, assisted with the British National Opera Company in the role of prompter, and was the Assistant Choir Master at St. Paul's Cathedral, London.

He taught at the Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore, Maryland, and at Rutgers University - Douglas College in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

On February 18, 1946, at Carnegie Hall, the choir performed Bach's Mass in B minor with Ifor Jones, conductor; Ruth Diehl, soprano; Lilian Knowles, contralto; Lucius Metz, tenor; Calvin Marsh, baritone; Edwin Steffe, bass; E. Power Biggs, organ; The Philadelphia Orchestra.

In October 1965, the choir sings at the International Choral Festival, commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Handel and Haydn Society in Symphony Hall, Boston.