Ralph Allwood MBE DMus was for 26 years Director of Music at Eton College and is now a freelance choral director, teacher and conductor. He is the Director of the Rodolfus (ex-Eton) Choral Courses, which he founded in 1980. He co-founded the Junior Choral Courses in 2012. Ten thousand 8 to 20 year-olds have since been students on courses. In recent years he has launched courses in Texas, Shanghai and Shenzhen. The Rodolfus choir has produced over 20 CDs since he founded it in 1982.
Ralph is co-founder and conductor of Inner Voices, made up of singers from state schools in London. He is also a Supervisor for harmony at Jesus College, Cambridge, Director of the only conservatoire chapel choir in the world, the Old Royal Naval College Trinity Laban Chapel Choir and an Honorary Fellow of University College, Durham.
Ralph has conducted choirs for over 40 broadcasts for BBC Radio 3. He has composed much music for Extreme Music Ltd, heard worldwide on radio, films and television. He teaches at his old grammar school, Tiffin and is a co-founder of the National Youth Music Theatre.
In 2015 he co-founded the Pimlico Musical Foundation to enable children from Pimlico Primary Schools to sing in choirs, particularly at St Gabriel's Church.
In 2017, the Archbishop of Canterbury presented him with the Thomas Cranmer Award for Music and Worship and he is Chair of the Choral Evensong Trust.
Ralph is co-founder and conductor of Inner Voices, made up of singers from state schools in London. He is also a Supervisor for harmony at Jesus College, Cambridge, Director of the only conservatoire chapel choir in the world, the Old Royal Naval College Trinity Laban Chapel Choir and an Honorary Fellow of University College, Durham.
Ralph has conducted choirs for over 40 broadcasts for BBC Radio 3. He has composed much music for Extreme Music Ltd, heard worldwide on radio, films and television. He teaches at his old grammar school, Tiffin and is a co-founder of the National Youth Music Theatre.
In 2015 he co-founded the Pimlico Musical Foundation to enable children from Pimlico Primary Schools to sing in choirs, particularly at St Gabriel's Church.
In 2017, the Archbishop of Canterbury presented him with the Thomas Cranmer Award for Music and Worship and he is Chair of the Choral Evensong Trust.
Events
Haydn’s Creation:
Old Royal Naval College Trinity Laban Chapel Choir with The Brandenburg Sinfonia
Join the Old Royal Naval College Trinity Laban Chapel Choir in a joyful performance of Haydn’s Creation in celebration of the festive season.
Conductor: Dr Ralph Allwood MBE
Chapel Organist: Jonathan Eyre
https://www.trinitylaban.ac.uk/whats-on/trinity-laban-ornc-chapel-choir-christmas-concert/
Sunday, 1st December 2024, 19:00
Old Royal Naval College Chapel, The Chapel, Old Royal Naval College
BBC Choral Evensong Recording
Join The Rodolfus Choir as they record choral evensong for the BBC, to be broadcast on New Year’s Day 2025.
Conductor - Ralph Allwood MBE
Organist - George de Voil
https://www.therodolfusfoundation.org.uk/tickets/2024/12/29/bbc-choral-evensong-recording
Sunday, 29th December 2024, 18:00-19:00
St James' Church, Sussex Gardens, London
A New Song: New Year's Eve Concert in London
The Rodolfus Choir is delighted to conclude their Twixmas project with their traditional New Year’s Eve concert, featuring some of the finest choral music written for the season.
Conductor - Ralph Allwood MBE
https://www.therodolfusfoundation.org.uk/tickets/2024/12/31/a-new-song-new-years-eve-concert-in-london
Tuesday, 31th December 2024, 15:00 16:30
St James' Church, Sussex Gardens, London
Weekly Commitments
Sunday: Eucharist Service, Old Royal Naval College, 11:00AM
Monday: Choral Evensong, Old Royal Naval College, 5:30PM Wednesday: Choral Evensong with the Pimlico Musical Foundation, St Gabriel’s Church Pimlico, 5:30PM
View Past Events
Press
Classic FM :
Virtual Choral Evensong
Choristers join Stephen Fry and Alexander Armstrong for virtual choral Evensong service. The timeless church service to soothe the nation and support singers during COVID-19 lockdown.
Read here.
Planet Hugill:
A Choral Celebration of Queen Mary II
A celebration of Queen Mary II's birthday brings together the choirs of two institution she was instrumental in founding, mixing professionals with students to create a choral sound full of vigour, energy and joy.
Read here.
Independent :
“We can have a choir as good as Eton's”
Inner Voices brings together musically gifted singers from inner-city London schools to perform in some of the country's top venues. Alice Jones learns how the ambitious project came about – and hears the remarkable results.
Read here.
Talking Classical Podcast
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Annabelle Lee discusses choral directing and music teacher with Ralph Allwood. This episode covers the orgings of the Rodolfus choir, choral courses, and the more recent Pimlico Musical Foundation.
Listern here.
Music Plus Podcast
Listen here.
Compositions
Ralph has been a composer for Extreme Music since 1997 providing for film and TV worldwide, chiefly Europe and America and is now represented by Pretty Decent Music. He has been score writer and choir director for several commercials.
- The Holly and the Ivy - (Sheet Music)
- Sweet Was the Song - (Sheet Music)
- Over the Hills - (Sheet Music)
- Ding Dong Merrily on High - (Sheet Music)
- The Gift - (Sheet Music)
- Interlude:Cascades - (Sheet Music)
Recordings
Roderick Williams :
Sacred Choral Works, 2017![]()
Sacred Choral Works, 2017
Rodolfus Choir :
Time and Its Passing, 2015![]()
Time and Its Passing, 2015
Katherine Jenkins with Rodolfus Choir :
Sacred Arias, 2008
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Eton College Chapel Choir :
Hear My Words, 2008
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Arrangements
- J. Pierpont: Jingle Bells: Arr. Ralph Allwood: SATB
- F. Schubert: An Die Musik: Arr. Ralph Allwood: SATB
- By Special Arrangment, Choral Arrangements of Favourite Classics: SATB
- Tchaikovsky: Danse De La Fée-Dragée: Arr. Ralph Allwood and Leo Hussain: SATB
- ABBA: Five ABBA Hits: Arr. Ralph Allwood and Lora Sansun: SSA
- J. Hopkins Jr: We Three Kings: Arr. Ralph Allwood: SATB
Gallery
