During the 1960s he wrote more ballet scores including The Travellers, The Realms of Choice and Hazard for Ballet Rambert, and Agrionia for London Dance Theatre. He also wrote for many different ensembles and combinations including orchestral pieces, cantatas, pieces for strings, brass, wind and percussion. In 1964 he joined the London Soloists Ensemble for whom he wrote Concerto Fervido, and with whom he toured in Britain and Europe, and recorded Concerto Fervido. In 1967 for its 21st birthday celebrations the RPO commissioned Toccata, which was premiered at the Royal Festival Hall conducted by Rudolph Kempe. In the same year Salzedo gave up playing the violin to become Musical Director of Ballet Rambert (now Rambert Dance Company) when the Company became a modern dance company. He held this post for five years.
From 1972 until 1974 he was principal conductor with the Scottish Ballet, and from 1982 until 1986 he was Music Director of London City Ballet, for whom he orchestrated classical ballet scores including Swan Lake, Nutcracker and Les Sylphides for smaller orchestra.
After 1986 he devoted himself full-time to composition and these years saw a string of important works including String Quartets, the Stabat Mater for soprano, alto, chorus and orchestra, a Violin Concerto, a Piano Concerto, and Requiem Sine Voxibus (Requiem without voices) (1989) for very large orchestra, one of his largest and most substantial scores, which Salzedo regarded as one of his finest achievements but which he never heard performed.
In spite of continuous activities as a performer Salzedo wrote more than 160 compositions, including 10 String Quartets, two symphonies, 17 ballets, and many pieces for strings, brass, wind, percussion, voice, and combinations of these. He often called on his Spanish/ Jewish heritage for ideas and inspiration as reflected in the melodies, rhythms and titles of many of his works.
He died at home in Leighton Buzzard in May 2000, leaving behind a vast musically diverse legacy of works which bespeak a love of his craft and an insider’s knowledge of the orchestra and its various instruments.