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COLLEGE NEWS I Jesus College Annual Report 2022
Chapel Music Richard Pinel, Director of Music
Photo by Andrew Wilkinson
Whilst the spectre of COVID-19 hasn’t quite left us, we were able to begin the year very much in the spirit of ‘business as usual’. The choristers resumed rehearsals in early September and were joined by the adults towards the end of September ready for services in the Chapel to begin. It has been such a pleasure to sing to an in-person congregation again and, in particular, to welcome back our Chapel regulars from the city now that Chapel is once again open to all. The numbers are back to pre-pandemic levels and, if anything, are even larger than before. We have also continued to live-stream our Sunday Evensong and have maintained our regular viewers from around the world. We welcomed some twelve new adults to the choir at the beginning of the academic year – a mixture of new undergraduates and graduates and one or two more experienced singers. I think that this might be the third year in a row that I have been able to comment that this was the strongest intake to date; long may this trend continue! In addition to our regular round of Michaelmas Term services, it was important to the Choir to be able to lead the memorial service for Professor Waring, to whom the Choir and Chapel meant so much. The Choir of Clare College joined us for a joint evensong and some bonhomie and, before COVID-19 reared its head and caused the cancellation of our Christmas Carol Services and Christmas Concert, we managed to give the world premiere of O Lord support us by Isaac Adnii (runner up in our composition competition). Following this slight bump in the road, the College Choir were suitably recovered to accompany Britten Sinfonia for their annual tour of Handel’s Messiah. This included singing to a packed Barbican Centre in London, alongside concerts in Norwich and Saffron Hall. The final engagement of the term saw us return to Epworth Court, to sing Christmas Carols to the residents there. In contrast to our previous visit, we were even able to enjoy some mulled wine and mince pies with them after we had sung!
