Choir association newsletter

StCollege John’s Choir Choir Association

Welcome

Refreshed website

to the December 2015 edition of the Choir Association Newsletter!

We are delighted to announce the launch of the refreshed Choir Website, now up and running with revamped layout and freshly updated photos! Head to www.sjcchoir.co.uk to find news of recent events, keep track of what’s coming up and listen to our latest webcasts.

We are sorry for the long silence over the summer – preparation for two major tours and staff shortages in the Choir Office have rather put us behind. We hope to be back to normal next term. In the meantime, we wish all Members and Friends a Very Happy Christmas and Prosperous New Year.

www.sjcchoir.co.uk

The Chapel and Choir community of St John’s were deeply saddened by the news of the sudden death of John Scott in August. One of the most illustrious musicians ever to have been a member of the College, John’s passing is a devastating loss to the musical world. We send our heartfelt condolences to his family. Please click here to read personal tributes by friends and colleagues Christopher Robinson, David Hill, Andrew Nethsingha and Jonathan Bielby.

A special memorial evensong will take place in the College Chapel on Saturday 6th February at 6.30 p.m., followed by refreshments in Hall. All Members and Friends are invited to attend.

The Call The Choir’s latest disc has been released to considerable critical acclaim: most notably, it was recently made Editor’s Choice in the prestigious Gramophone Magazine, where it is described as “a disc which offers, in truth, 75 minutes of utter aural sublimity.” The full review may be found here: www.gramophone.co.uk/review/the-call

www.sjcchoir.co.uk

Harvey Recording We eagerly anticipate the release of the Choir’s next disc, Deo, a recording of the music of Johnian composer Jonathan Harvey, which will be released in May 2016. The ‘Sponsor a Minute of Music’ campaign has been an immense success, and we express profound thanks to all who have donated your generosity will be acknowledged in the sleeve notes in due course. Current choral scholar Oliver Morris writes, Maurice Foxall

John Scott, Organ Scholar 1974-78

“We all approached the week-long recording process with a degree of trepidation. The sessions were long and the music demanded constant concentration, being difficult not only from a technical point of view but also intellectually and logistically seldom does choral music entail such complicated choreography.

But in fact the week went exceptionally smoothly, thanks to Andrew’s inspired direction and the sheer excellence of producers Chris Hazell and Simon Eadon, and it was a thrilling experience to record, in some cases for the first time, such fascinating, provocative music, with which we as a choir have so personal a connection.”

We have already released a short teaser-video of a typical(!) day from the recording, which, if you missed it, may be viewed here: https://drive.google. com/file/d/0Bx3cUBu_x35-RkFwM2V2bGZWNzg/ view?usp=sharing. The fact that all the singers had to remove their shoes to minimize noise from the polished floor gave rise to the now legendary ‘Snazzy Sock Competition’, which provided light entertainment for the boys but became a matter of great seriousness for the Gents. In consequence, we trust that the kaleidoscopic colours of the Choir’s collective hosiery will impart an extra flavour to this very special disc.

Advent Carol Services The Advent Carol Service was broadcast live from the College Chapel on Sunday 28 November. Readers can hear the service for 28 days on the BBC Listen Again service www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06qjknm

Advent Commissions This year’s commission for the Advent Carol Service came from Tim Watts (b. 1976), Fellow of St John’s and Associate Lecturer in the Music Faculty. The piece, scored for SATB choir, two violins and organ, was a setting of The Birth of Sleep by Hartley Coleridge (1796–1849). All the instrumentalists for the premiere were current Johnians. The Choir gave the first performance of Tim’s Echoes for men’s voices last year and are very happy to be collaborating with him again.

In related news, we are delighted to announce that Michael Finnissy has been shortlisted in the liturgical section of the British Composer Awards for his John the Baptist, last year’s Advent commission. The Choir have fond memories of this work and we wish Michael the very best of luck for the final of the Competition, which will be held on Wednesday 9 December.

Howells and Stanford Weekend On the 17th and 18th October St John’s, in collaboration with King’s and Trinity Colleges, hosted the Howells and Stanford Societies for a joint celebration of the music of both composers. At evensong on the Saturday the Choir sang Howells’ muscular St Paul’s Service and Stanford’s Beati quorum via, which features on the recently released The Call. This was followed on Sunday by the ethereal Westminster Service and the Te Deum from Howells’ ‘Collegium Regale’ setting, which features some of his most characteristically vivid writing and was a particular pleasure for the Choir to sing, having been composed while Howells was Acting Organist and Fellow of St John’s between 1941 and 1945. Before Sunday’s evensong Richard Gowers, Junior Organ Scholar of King’s College, gave a recital of organ music by both composers. The weekend was a great success and it was an honour to be able to host it.

www.sjcchoir.co.uk

Candlelit Epiphany Carol Services –

Members’ News

Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 January 2016 Members and Friends are very welcome to apply for tickets for the Epiphany Carol Services on Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 January via the on-line booking system: http://bit.ly/SJCEpiphany2016 Or by telephoning the Chapel Clerk on 01223 338676.

Chorister Voice Trials Do you know a boy who loves to sing? We currently have vacancies for entry as a Chorister in September 2016. Andrew would be very pleased to hear from the parents of boys aged six to eight years old, and meet with them informally to offer advice prior to attending a formal voice trial.

Formal Voice trials will be held on Friday 22 January and Saturday 21 May. Please get in touch with Caroline Marks, Choir Administrator, on 01223 338718 or click on choir@joh.cam.ac.uk for further information.

Mr Graham Bailey, Head Chorister 1950-51, called into the Choir Office recently.

He brought with him two photographs of the Choir (above) – can you spot any faces you recognize? We gave Graham and his wife an impromptu tour of the new Divinity School site (which incorporates the old Choir School building) and had great fun listening to some wonderful memories of his antics as a Chorister.

The Chapel community was saddened to receive the news of the death of Mrs Daphne Drury on 23 October.

She was a regular member of the Chapel congregation, a Friend of the Choir Association and a keen supporter of the Choir.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY Saturday 16 January

3.30 p.m.

4.30 p.m.

6.00 p.m.

Annual General Meeting Tea for members and their guests Epiphany Carol Service (See above re ticket applications)

Saturday 6 February

6.30 p.m.

Memorial Evensong for John Scott

Monday 22 February 6.00 p.m.

London Drinks Reception, to be held in the Crypt of St Mary Le Bow Church, by kind permission of the Revd George Bush

Saturday 4 June

Garden Party in the Master’s Lodge Garden

4.00 p.m.