Musical Director

Ralph Woodward - Conductor

Ralph Woodward was born and educated in Durham. He spent four years as Organ Scholar at Queens’ College, Cambridge. While there, he conducted the Chapel Choir’s first two CDs and gave world premieres of numerous works. These included three pieces by Stanford, one of which he edited for publication.

Now a freelance conductor and keyboard player, Ralph has written frequently on the music of Benjamin Britten, and was described by the Independent on Sunday as a ‘leading authority’ on the composer. He has wide performing repertoire, particular specialisms being the music of Bach and Mozart, the French Baroque and Scandinavian music.

Ralph is Musical Director of the Fairhaven Singers of Cambridge, the Walmisley Singers and the Northumbrian Recorder and Viol School. He has been involved in educational projects with the English Sinfonia, the BBC Singers and English National Opera, and has appeared live on Radio 3’s "In Tune". His international work has included engagements at Harvard University, in Chicago, Tunis, Prague, Stockholm and Venice, and throughout the Gulf and Far East. He has conducted Cambridge Baroque Camerata, Cambridge Sinfonia, the K.239 Chamber Orchestra and the Brandenburg Sinfonia. He frequently contributes articles and programme notes, and carries out a wide range of editorial tasks for Oxford University Press.

Recent projects have included work with Christopher Hogwood, Emma Kirkby and James Bowman. Forthcoming engagements include his debuts with the Ely Sinfonia and London Mozart Players.

www.ralphwoodward.net