Ronald Mapp is a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He received his earliest music education at Girard College where he studied with Darlene Ziggler, Lynn Thomas, Christine Dalsey, Robert Jones and Bruce Schultz. Encouraged by his teachers, Mr. Mapp attended Northwestern University to study music. He completed the Third Lament for his senior composition recital and dedicated the piece to Amanda Baker who gave the work its premier in May 1996. Mr. Mapp graduated from Northwestern University in the same year with a bachelor's degree in composition and music education. He studied composition with Michael Pisaro, Dr. Robert Harris and Craig First. Other works performed at Northwestern were a double bass concerto, a rondo for piano and orchestra, a brass quartet, a string septet and The Ode to Dode for a cappella chorus with text by Joe McDaniel. He went on to study conducting with Dr. Robert McCashin at James Madison University where he graduated with a master's degree in 2000. During that time he continued to compose and took composition lessons with Dr. John Hilliard.