Ronald Corp

Ronald Corp maintains an active presence in London as both a choral conductor and a composer. He established the New London Orchestra and the New London Children's Choir, serving as musical director for each, and he also directs the London Choral Society along with the Highgate Choral Society. The New London Orchestra came into being under his leadership in 1988, after which he has guided the ensemble through performances across London and at prominent British music festivals. His concert programs emphasize choral repertoire spanning the Romantic era to contemporary times, resulting in many commissions of fresh pieces for the group. Since founding the New London Children's Choir in 1991, he has steered its activities in live performances, recordings, and televised appearances, frequently partnering with London's leading orchestras. Additional guest engagements have taken him to the BBC Concert Orchestra, the Ulster Orchestra, the Leipzig Philharmonic Orchestra, the Brussels Radio and Television Orchestra, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, and the Bournemouth Sinfonietta. His discography includes releases on the Hyperion label.

Numerous commissions for choral-orchestral scores have come his way as a composer. The Highgate Choral Society requested And All the Trumpets Sounded from him in 1989, a score later issued by Stainer and Bell. In 1994 the London Choral Society gave the first performance of his cantata Laudamus. Oxford University Press brought out his Elizabethan Lyrics (4) and continues to employ him as an editor of choral publications. Cornucopia stands as his most substantial composition; it received its premiere in 1997 and has since enjoyed repeated outings. That same year Julian Evans introduced his piano concerto with the New London Orchestra. Batsford published his book The Choral Singer's Companion.

Corp's stature as a composer has risen steadily since the beginning of the century, prompting him to allocate a greater share of his energies to creation. Besides an array of choral pieces and songs, his output now encompasses three string quartets, one symphony, and multiple operas intended for young audiences.