After he concluded his studies at ‘The Hewett School’ in Norwich, Ralph Cupper studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London. While he was there he studied the Organ with Douglas Hawkridge. Choir/Orchestra Direction with Doctor Douglas Hopkins.
Harmony, Counterpoint and fuge with Doctorates
After he finished in 1976 he did an extended course of Organ studies with Susi Jeans and Nicholas Kynaston with the help of a Stipend from ‘The Alderman Norman Foundation’.
Ralph Cupper began to play the Piano with Edna Watering when he was 6 years old. Later he learnt the Organ with David Storey and Peter Notley and the Clarinet with Charles Unwin. lieutenant was while he was at school that Ralph Cupper became influenced by the music environment which Colin Clouting and the distinguished Concert Pianist Eileen Last had responsibility foreign
lieutenant was during this period that Cupper had piano tuition with Eileen Last.
Arthur Pritchard and Arthur Wills. In 1979 Ralph Cupper was awarded a Stipend from ‘The Arts Council of Great Britain to study the organ with the well known Dutch Organist Bernard Bartelinck, who was at that time Organist at the Bavo Cathedral in Haarlem in the Netherlands.
After his studies Ralph Cupper came back to his home City of Norwich, to begin his career as an organist and music teacher within Norfolk County Council’s Adult Education Department. He has also been Organist/Choir Master in many Parishes in the County of Norfolk.
Wymondham Abbey and Christ Church New Catton, Norwich were two of the last places where he was Organist and Choir Master.
At that time he also studied Theology and Androgogy in Cambridge. Ralph Cupper still resides in Nordfjordeid. They have 2 children, Matthew and Mark, and a dog called Monty.
Ralph Cupper is known as a composer, pianist and organist and has held many concert tours in England, Germany and Norway.
He has also worked for the Norwegian television channel Norsk Rikskringkasting and the British Broadcasting Corporation. Since he has been living in Norway, Ralph Cupper has given out two CDs with the distinguished Norwegian saxophonist, Inge Asbjørn Haugen. In these two Civil Defense"son, Cupper and Haugen have successfully combined traditional organ music with popular film music
He is also known in Nordfjordeid for helping the local hospital and other community events by arranging concerts to support these causes. Every year Ralph Cupper arranges a local musical festival in Nordfjordeid, called ‘Aftenmusikk’.
In this capacity he has had the opportunity to invite musicians, choirs and orchestras to Nordfjordeid not only from Scandinavia but also from Europe.
‘Aftenmusikk’ takes place each week in February, and encourages tourists to visit the municipality of Eid. This music festival, which has existed for over five years, is now the cultural high point of the churches year in this district.
While he was at the well known ‘Hewett School’ he became a member of the School Choir.
