deane was born on 27 may 1928 in bangor, county down, the son of canon richard deane who was rector of st thomas's, belfast. after the methodist college in belfast and the royal school, armagh, he was educated at queen's university belfast; his parents did not encourage his interest in studying music at university (he had learnt to play the cello), so his first undergraduate degree, obtained in 1948, was in french and german. with the recommendation of ivor keys, his father allowed him to enrol on the new bachelor of music degree at queen's, which he completed in 1950. he then studied the cello in paris under étienne pasquier.