Welcome to our 2026/27 Choral Scholars
We’re delighted to welcome our first cohort of talented music students as part of the Ronald Corp Choral Scholarship Programme. Sophie Benfield, Eva Hutchins, Naveen Kanamarlapudi and Eoin Jenkins will join the singers of The London Chorus from 8 September for our 2026/27 Season.
Sophie Benfield – soprano
Soprano Sophie Benfield is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Music, where she completed both a Bachelor of Music (Honours) and a Master of Arts with DipRAM. She is a recipient of support from the Nan Copeland Award and the Kathleen Trust and was recently awarded the Charles Norman Prize (2025).
Alongside developing her operatic career, she is an experienced choral and concert singer. She currently serves as Soprano Scholar at St Philip’s Earl’s Court and has performed major sacred works including Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Haydn’s The Creation, Poulenc’s Gloria, and Brahms’s Ein deutsches Requiem. Recent concert appearances include Cadogan Hall, Truro Cathedral and St John’s Smith Square.
Operatic highlights include Erste Dame in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte with Royal Academy Opera, chorus roles with Opera Holland Park and Hampstead Garden Opera, and performances as Donna Anna, Marietta, and Soeur Blanche. Sophie is extremely excited to be performing as a young artist with Opernfest Pragueat at Smetana Hall in Prague, July 2026. She looks forward to contributing to the musical life of the choir and continuing to develop as both a soloist and ensemble musician.
Eva Hutchins – alto
Eva Hutchins is a 22 year old mezzo-soprano from the High Peak. She recently completed an undergraduate in vocal studies at Trinity Laban. Whilst studying at Trinity she has been part of the Old Royal Naval College Chapel Choir, Trinity Laban Chamber Choir and part of the chorus in Trinity Laban’s summer productions of Dido’s Ghost by Errollyn Wallen and Frankenstein by Libby Larsen.
Eva is currently a choral scholar with Eltham Choral Society and performed as the alto soloist for their performances of Mozart’s Requiem and Handel’s Messiah. She recently performed as Third Priestess in Blackheath Hall’s opera Iphigenia in Tauris by Gluck as well as being alto chorus leader.
In summer 2024 Eva sang with Dorset Opera Festival Chorus for Puccini’s Madama Butterfly and premiered a new opera, Under The Greenwood Tree by Paul Carr based on the Thomas Hardy novel.
Prior to conservatoire study she was part of The Hallé Youth Choir performing regularly at the Bridgewater Hall alongside The Hallé Orchestra. Eva has a particular love for ensemble singing and is excited to keep exploring the world of opera and oratorio as her career develops.
Naveen Kanamarlapudi – tenor
Naveen Kanamarlapudi is a tenor from Swansea, pursuing a third-year undergraduate Vocal Studies at Trinity Laban Conservatoire taught by Lynton Atkinson. He enjoys singing with various choirs and performing in opera productions throughout London.
His recent solo performances include works by Faure, Mozart and Rossini in Scholar’s Recital and solo verses in Purcell’s King Arthur as a tenor scholar of Queen’s Park Singers 2025/26. Notable choral performances include the Last Night of Proms with the BBC Symphony Chorus, D-Day 80 commemorations at the British Normandy Memorial as a scholar of London Youth Choir 2023/24 and the Coronation of Charles III and Camilla as an Only Boys Aloud member.
He has contributed to opera productions as a chorus member for Puccini’s Turandot, Tosca and Mozart’s The Magic Flute. Naveen is one of nine young singers selected for the 2025 Glyndebourne Academy. He also contributes to Old Royal Naval College Chapel Services as a chorus member in the Philharmonia Chorus Student Scheme.
Eoin Jenkins – bass
Eoin Jenkins is a baritone specialising in lieder and choral singing. He is currently studying for a Master’s Degree in Composition at the Royal Academy of Music.
He previously spent three years at Clare College, Cambridge, studying for a BA in Music. While at Cambridge, he sang in Clare College Choir and the University Chamber Choir.
With Clare Choir, Eoin toured to locations in the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Germany, Switzerland and California, and recorded three albums. He has performed as a soloist in venues such as the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam and Ely Cathedral and has given recitals across Cambridge.
Eoin currently studies singing with Giles Underwood at the Academy, having previously been taught by Berty Rice and James Oldfield.