News

Stanford University Chorale pays a return visit to St John's

20 June 2016

Stanford University Chorale visited St John's College in June for a well-received weekend's residency, including two Evensongs, on Friday and Saturday 17 & 18 June, and a concert in Chapel on Sunday 19.

Hailing from Palo Alto, California, the Chorale is an acclaimed mixed voice ensemble, whose organist is former St John's Organ Scholar Robert Huw Morgan. As well as a homecoming visit for him, the residency was also a chance for the singers to renew acquaintances with the College Choir after the two groups' joint concert in California earlier this year.

Deo receives an Editor's Choice recommendation in Gramophone

17 June 2016

The Choir's new recording, 'Deo' has received an Editor's Choice recommendation in Gramophone, after an excellent review.

The disc, which came out in May, has already earned much critical acclaim, including a five-star review in The Observer and CD of the Month in Choir and Organ, and forms the first recording for the College's new recording label, an imprint on Signum Classics.

You can read the full review here

New commission by Benjamin Comeau given first performance

9 June 2016

Benjamin Comeau, recent Organ Scholar of Girton College, has been commissioned to write a new work for men's voices. This piece, entitled 'Vanity of Vanities' received its first performance at Evensong on Wednesday 8 June.
The commission, by the Master and Fellows of St John's College, has been generously supported by Paul and Joanna Lindsell and Jeremy Podger.

Deo enters classical charts at #2!

31 May 2016

The Choir's brand new recording of music by Jonathan Harvey has gone straight into the classical charts at #2 in its release week!

It has also garnered wide critical acclaim, including this selection of excellent reviews:

***** The Observer “ecstatic” “richly challenging” “The Choir tackles it all woth confidence and clarity”

***** Planet Hugill “a terrific disc” “These are performances to treasure, of great intensity and remarkable power”

New Canticles by Nico Muhly given first performance

31 May 2016

The Choir was proud to give the first performance of the 'St John's Service' by Nico Muhly on Sunday 29 May.

Described by The Guardian as “one of the most celebrated and sought-after classical composers of the last decade” Muhly has written for the Metropolitan Opera and Wigmore Hall and for the Hillard Ensemble and Tallis Scholars.

This new work for St John's represents the continuation of the Choir's dedicated commitment to new music and to enriching the liturgical choral repertoire.

Brand new CD, 'Deo' launched

24 May 2016

The Choir's newest recording was released on Friday, with a special Evensong and Reception.

'Deo' features music by Jonathan Harvey, who died in 2012, including 'The Annunciation' which was written especially for the College's Qunincentenary celebrations and was heard as the introit at Friday's service.

Personal reflections on the music of Jonathan Harvey by Andrew Nethsingha

6 May 2016

Jonathan Harvey’s experience of church music began as a chorister at St Michael’s College, Tenbury, where he sang 13 services each week. He recalled one particular loud chord in a post-service organ improvisation as being a moment of great epiphany in which he knew he would be a composer. I myself was also brought up in the idyllic surroundings of St Michael’s, where my father was Organist in the 1960s. Harvey was later an undergraduate here at St John’s.

Beautiful weather for the Ascension Day service

5 May 2016

The College's traditional Ascension Day service took place on 5 May. Attended by pupils and staff of St John's College School, the service begins in Chapel, then moves outside to First Court, where the assembled congregation hears the Ascension Day Carol sung from the Chapel tower at noon. There was beautiful sunshine this year and we were pleased to welcome many visitors to enjoy the spectacle the service and the singing!

New CD 'Deo' wins five star review in The Observer

3 May 2016

Observer reviewer Fiona Maddocks has awarded the Choir's new CD 'Deo', choral music by Jonathan Harvey, five stars in a review published on Sunday.

Calling the disc 'ecstatic' and 'richly challenging', Maddocks draws attention to the close links between Harvey and the College, and also the parallels between the lives of the composer and Director of Music Andrew Nethsingha.

Read the full review.

Choir broadcasts Radio 3 Choral Evensong

3 May 2016

BBC Radio 3 has once again visited St John's College to broadcast Choral Evensong live from the chapel.

The service, which took place on Wednesday 27 April, featured an introit by former Director of Music, Christopher Robinson, as he celebrates his 80th birthday. There were also Canticles by Sumsion and the Harris anthem Faire is the Heaven as well as a collection of Psalms.

You can listen to the service on the BBC website for a month by clicking here

US tour comes to an end with a good review from the St Louis Post-Dispatch

13 April 2016

The Choir's two-week US tour came to an end on Friday 8 April with a concert in Cathedral Basilica of St Louis, Missouri.

Choral Scholar report from the US tour - San Francisco, Washington DC, Greenwich Connecticut

5 April 2016

Tuesday 5 April

After a rest day the Choir was called upon, on Friday, to entertain old Johnians and their friends at the Stanford University Club in San Francisco. We wondered about the strength of the bus’s brakes as it parked with its front several feet higher than its rear on one of the city’s many precipitous inclines.

After some wine and canapés we sang three pieces and the boys returned to the hotel. The Gents stayed for supper and afterwards sang some lighter numbers by ourselves.

Choral Scholar report from the US tour - Stanford, California

4 April 2016

Thursday 31 March

The choir arrived in California four days ago. The first day, a rest day, was spent - rather exhaustingly - exploring much of San Francisco on foot or by bicycle.

On the second day we travelled to Stanford University, a very verdant campus so enormous as to seem a city in its own right. We rehearsed with the Stanford Chorale and Stanford University Symphony Orchestra in preparation for a joint concert featuring chiefly American music; Samuel Barber’s Agnus Dei and Leonard Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms.

Organ Scholar and former Choral Scholar win prestigious music prizes

10 February 2016

A recent former Choral Scholar and current Organ Scholar of St John's have both won prestigious prizes in their own disciplines.

Current Herbert Howells Organ Scholar, Joseph Wicks, has been awarded the Limpus Prize by the Royal College of Organists. The prize, considered one of the highest achievements in the instrument, is awarded to an outstanding candidate for Fellowship of the Royal College of Organists.

Evensong in memory of John Scott offered in College Chapel

10 February 2016

Evensong in memory of Dr John Gavin Scott LVO was sung in St John's College Chapel, Cambridge on Saturday 6 February.

Dr Scott, who was Organ Student at St John's from 1974-78, went on to direct the choirs of St Paul's Cathedral and of St Thomas Church, Fifth Avenue in New York City.

The service was preceded by an Organ Recital by Dr David Hill.

The service included two new works composed in memory of John Scott - Jonathan Bielby's May choirs of angels and David Hill's God be in my head.

Last Year's Visit to Hong Kong University

26 January 2016

Hong Kong University have released a short film from the Choir's visit last April. It features footage of the Choir rehearsing and performing Rossini's 'O Salutaris Hostia' and Parry's 'Hear my words, ye people', the latter of which was sung together with the HKU Chamber Singers at the end of the concert.

The Choir would like to thank the HKU Chamber Singers for their wonderful hospitality and singing last year. It was one of many highlights from what was altogether a thoroughly rewarding and enjoyable trip.

Choir launches own imprint with Signum Classics

22 January 2016

St John’s Cambridge imprint will feature all forthcoming recordings by the Choir of St John’s College Cambridge, as well as young talent from the College and prominent alumni

First release on St John’s Cambridge in May 2016: “Deo” choral and organ works by Jonathan Harvey

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Alumnus Sam Furness wins Opera Award

11 January 2016

Sam Furness (Tenor Choral Scholar and Layclerk 2005-09) has won the 'Breakthrough Artist in UK Opera' award in the 2016 WhatsOnStage Opera Poll, beating five other shortlisted candidates.

Sam's success can be attributed to performances in Richard Strauss's Intermezzo (Garsington Opera; as Baron Lummer) and Jacques Offenbach's Orpheus in the Underworld (English Touring Opera; as Hoffmann), with his performance in the latter described by reviewer Mark Valencia as "lyrical, fearless and tireless".

We wish Sam all the best for any forthcoming engagements.

St John's Carol Wins Award

22 December 2015

Michael Finnissy's carol 'John The Baptist', commissioned by the Master and Fellows of the College for the Advent Carol Service in 2014, has won the Liturgical category of the BASCA Awards.

Our huge congratulations go to Michael Finnissy, who also won another award in the Solo or Duo category for his piece 'Beat Generation Ballads'.

Read more about the awards here: http://www.joh.cam.ac.uk/composer-wins-award-for-st-johns-advent-carol

The service will include music McDowall, Warlock, Palestrina, Howells, Tranchell, Milner, Bingham, Poston, Gardner, Scott, J.S. Bach and a new commission by Tim Watts.

Excellent review for 'The Call' from Gramophone Magazine

19 October 2015

The Choir's latest release 'The Call' has received excellent reviews in Gramophone magazine. Read the full review.

John Scott 1956–2015 (Organ Student 1974–1978)

10 May 2015