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. Twelve thousand 8 to 20 year-olds have since been students on courses and they have now expanded to cater for adults. 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 in 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.  He is Chair of the Choral Evensong Trust and Patron of the Choir of the Earth.

Ralph has conducted choirs for over 40 broadcasts for BBC Radio 3. He has composed much music for Extreme Music Ltd and PDM, heard worldwide on radio, films and television. He is co-founder, with the Vicar of St. Gabriel's, of the Pimlico Musical Foundation.

In 2017, the Archbishop of Canterbury presented him with the Thomas Cranmer Award for his contribution to Music and Worship.

Ralph Allwood Singers - Norfolk Tour

A musical journey through seven of the ancient, glorious and inspiring churches of Norfolk.  

Combining members of The Old Royal Naval College Trinity Laban Chapel Choir, The Royal College of Music, and Rodolfus Choir, Ralph Allwood will conduct some excellent young singers in a week-long series inspired by Prospero’s words in The Tempest.

Programme to include music by Stanford, Harris, Howells, Vaughan Williams, Bruckner, some accompanied by organ.

23rd to 30th August

More information and tickets here:
ralphallwood.com/Norfolk-Tour

Choral Cruise 2026

Ralph will be setting sail on a choral cruise through the South of Spain in late September. You may have been to a number of choral concerts hosted by Brandenburg over the years. Their choral cruise will have a similarly high quality of music and organisation. Repertoire isn’t yet decided. Ralph is open to suggestions and demands!

30th September - 8th October

Information and booking:
https://www.brandenburg.org.uk/cruise

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 origins 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