'Thank you for the music'

CLASSICAL music lovers are mourning the death of Wells-born celebrated composer and conductor Ronald Corp OBE, a prolific advocate of music and well known the world over.

- NANCY CONNOLLY

Born in Wells in 1951, Ronald was founder and musical director of the New London Orchestra and the New London Children’s Choir and was also musical director of the Highgate Choral Society in north London.

He performed for one of the Queen’s jubilees and was a regular conductor at the BBC Proms. He was a most respected and revered music maestro.

For about 10 years in the 1990s he and the New London Orchestra were regulars at the Proms with young people's concerts which Ron presented and narrated.

In 2005-6 he was commissioned by Somerset Music to write a full-scale cantata, Waters of Time, based on Somerset folk legends which was performed in both Wells Cathedral and the then Colston Hall.

‘The musical legend died suddenly last Wednesday, May 7 in Bath at the age of 74.