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.

Old Royal Naval College Carol Services

The Chapel Carol Service on Sunday, 15 December will be a ticketed (but free) event. Remaining tickets for this service are available from the Chapel Manager, Deborah Robson (drobson@ornc.org). The same service will take place on Monday, 16 December but will be un-ticketed.

After the service on 15 December, a bar will be open in the Queen Mary Undercroft, where mulled wine, soft drinks, and mince pies will be available. Tickets may be purchased from Anthea Larken or Eileen Falconer. The price is £7.50 (cash only). On the night, the price will be £8.00 (card only).

Sunday 15th and Monday 16th December, 19:00

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

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