User:Mpcpro/Cupper

Ralph Cupper (Born 9th of August 1954) is a British-born and educated organist, conductor and composer. He was born and raised in Norwich, England.

History

Ralph Cupper learned to play the piano from Edna Watering when he was 6 years old. Later he was taught how to play the organ by David Storey and Peter Notley and the clarinet by Charles Unwin. While attending secondary school at the Hewett School he joined the then famous Hewett choir. While attending school he was affected by the local music environment which caused him to study piano with Eileen Last.

After secondary school Ralph Cupper studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London. There he studied organ by Douglas Hawkridge, choir and orchestra conducting by Doc. Douglas Hopkins. Harmony, counterpoint and fugue by Doctors Arthur Pritchard and Arthur Wills. After finishing in 1976, he studied the organ further with Susi Jeans and even later with Nicolas Kynaston with help from the Alderman Norman Foundation. In 1979 Ralph Cupper was awarded a stipend from The Arts Council of Great Britain to study with the known Dutch organist Bernard Bartelinck which at the time was organist at the Bavo Cathedral in Haarlem, Netherlands.

After his studies Ralph Cupper came home to his place of birth, Norwich and started his career as a concert pianist and music teacher. Ralph Cupper was also the organist for many of the local municipalities around Norwich, such as Wymondham Abbey and Christ Church, New Catton, Norwich.

After getting married to his wife in 1988 he moved over to Nordfjordeid, Norway and became father to two children. While in Norway he has been working as a music teacher and organist for the local church.

Known for

Ralph Cupper is a known concert pianist and organist and has held many concert tours around England, Germany and Norway. He has also done work for the Norwegian TV channel NRK and the British Broadcasting Corporation BBC.

While living in Norway he has given out 2 CD's with his friend Inge Asbjørn Haugen. In these two music CD's they have combined the organ and saxophone while playing popular film and classical music.

A selection of the music can be found on Ralph Cupper's youtube account: http://www.youtube.com/user/raljoc

Ralph Cupper is also known in Nordfjordeid for supporting the local hospital and community events by arranging concerts dedicating funds for their causes.