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.

Choral Course 1: Royal Holloway

The Choral Courses are for singers aged between 16 - 21, many of who are considering University and other Choral Scholarships, but it is by no means a requirement and we welcome singers who just enjoy choral singing and want to improve.

All Choral Course participants make up the choir which prepares for three main performances or choral evensongs. Preparation for choral scholarships and advice on singing beyond school is given a high priority and there are sessions in sight-reading, aural tests and performance, alongside vocal master-classes, a cappella workshops and sessions with visiting conductors.

https://www.therodolfusfoundation.org.uk/choral-course-1

26th July - 2nd August, 2024
Royal Holloway, University of London

Choral Course 2: Oxford

The Choral Courses are for singers aged between 16 - 21, many of who are considering University and other Choral Scholarships, but it is by no means a requirement and we welcome singers who just enjoy choral singing and want to improve.

All Choral Course participants make up the choir which prepares for three main performances or choral evensongs. Preparation for choral scholarships and advice on singing beyond school is given a high priority and there are sessions in sight-reading, aural tests and performance, alongside vocal master-classes, a cappella workshops and sessions with visiting conductors.

https://www.therodolfusfoundation.org.uk/choral-course-2

4th - 11th August, 2024
St Edward’s School, Oxford

Choral Course 4: York

The Choral Courses are for singers aged between 16 - 21, many of who are considering University and other Choral Scholarships, but it is by no means a requirement and we welcome singers who just enjoy choral singing and want to improve.

All Choral Course participants make up the choir which prepares for three main performances or choral evensongs. Preparation for choral scholarships and advice on singing beyond school is given a high priority and there are sessions in sight-reading, aural tests and performance, alongside vocal master-classes, a cappella workshops and sessions with visiting conductors.

https://www.therodolfusfoundation.org.uk/choral-course-4

12th - 19th August, 2024
St Peter’s School, York

Junior Choral Course 2: Winchester

The Junior Choral Courses offer unique opportunities to children aged 8 - 15 to experience choral singing at a very high level. The course staff are all accomplished singers, and their voices join the young people to enable them to sing some of the great choral repertoire for four voices alongside excellent music written for the students’ higher voices.

https://www.therodolfusfoundation.org.uk/junior-choral-course-2

19th - 25th August, 2024
Winchester College

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

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

Ralph Allwood speaks to Chris Gunness about the joys of working with young people and of keeping alive the English choral tradition.

Listen here.

Roderick Williams :
Sacred Choral Works, 2017

Rodolfus Choir :
Time and Its Passing, 2015

Katherine Jenkins with Rodolfus Choir :  Sacred Arias, 2008

Eton College Chapel Choir : Hear My Words, 2008