Allen McCristal was born in Sydney on 21 May 1911. He held the Crichton-Smith scholarship at the NSW Conservatorium of Music and made his concert debut in Sydney aged 16. Following graduation he went to Townsville where he started the North Queensland College of Music Appearances followed with all the major State orchestras; his career included performances with such conductors as Georg Schneevoigt and Georg Szell. McCristal gave concerts as an ABC concert artist until the late 1960s. He worked at the ABC from 1945, first as the Record Librarian in Perth and then as Programme Officer in Newcastle. In 1947 he became the ABC’s first Supervisor of Music in Queensland, a position he retained until his retirement in 1976. He was also an examiner and lecturer for the Australian Music Examinations Board.