Ronald Corp OBE – A Celebration of his Life

A distinguished gathering of musicians and singers will come together at Cadogan Hall to celebrate the life and legacy of Ronald Corp OBE, the much-loved British composer, conductor and Anglican priest, who died on 7 May 2025 at the age of 74.

This special memorial concert will be led by Dame Jane Glover and will unite the ensembles that were central to Corp’s remarkable musical life: The London Chorus, Highgate Choral Society, the New London Orchestra, and alumni of the New London Children’s Choir.

Ronald Corp was founder and artistic director of the New London Orchestra and the New London Children’s Choir and served as musical director of The London Chorus and Highgate Choral Society for several decades. A tireless champion of light music in both the concert hall and recording studio, he also composed a vast body of popular and enduring works that have become cherished by choirs and audiences alike.

The evening will feature a rich and varied programme that reflects the breadth of Corp’s musical output and the traditions he upheld.
The first half includes:

• Guernsey Postcards – performed by the New London Orchestra, conducted by William Vann
• Missa San Marco – sung by Highgate Choral Society and The London Chorus, conducted by Sam Evans
• Elegy for Himself – performed by alumni of the New London Children’s Choir, conducted by William Vann
• Commotio – alongside light music favourites The Watermill (Ronald Binge) and London Landmarks – The Horse Guards, Whitehall (Haydn Wood), conducted by Ian MacGregor

Following the interval, the combined forces of Highgate Choral Society and The London Chorus will perform Corp’s powerful cantata And All the Trumpets Sounded under the baton of Dame Jane Glover. Composed in 1989, And All the Trumpets Sounded is a major work in the English choral tradition. Like Britten’s War Requiem, it interweaves movements from the traditional Requiem Mass with settings of war poetry — including texts by Wilfred Owen, Rupert Brooke, Charles Sorley, Edward Thomas and Walt Whitman. The work makes dramatic use of trumpets and drums to underscore the martial and mechanistic aspects of war, confronting its cruelty and inevitability with profound emotional force.

Also featured is Missa San Marco, an attractive and versatile short setting of the Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus and Agnus Dei, admired for its clarity, warmth and expressive directness. The concert will be presented by popular classical music broadcaster Petroc Trelawny, who will help guide the audience through this tribute to a musician whose influence on Britain’s choral landscape was profound. It promises to be both a moving memorial and a joyous celebration of a life devoted to music, education and community. Ticket proceeds from the concert and additional donations will go to a new charitable fund being set up in Ronald Corp’s name. This will benefit several causes dear to Ron’s heart, including support for children and young persons’ music education, and support for young singers, composers and conductors.