Music Report

Carols around the Tree

In December we held our annual family-friendly programme of music and readings around the Christmas tree in Warburton Hall. Musical entertainment was provided by Cavendish Chorale and alumna Noémie Johns (Medical & Veterinary Sciences, 2013). The audience joined in with renditions of Ding Dong Merrily on High, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, Little Donkey and We Wish You A Merry Christmas. We could enjoy a special performance of Jingle Bells led by our younger guests. Festive readings were provided Dr Henriette Hendriks, Vice-President, Lauren Magilton (English, 2012), Dr Penny Granger (English, 1998), Kate McCombe (History, 2011), Karen Stephenson (English, 1995), Professor Jill Jameson (English, 1980). Another very special guest was, of course, Santa Claus.

The Catering Team and our Development Office supported the event.

Cavendish Chorale 2019/2020 By Alice Dearle (PhD Candidate in Nanoscience)

Cavendish Chorale is a friendly non-auditioned choir for upper voices that welcomes students from all colleges, with the majority belonging to Lucy Cavendish.

This year we undertook a significant drive for new recruits from Lucy Cavendish and beyond, as sadly (for us) many of our most consistent members from the previous years had happily graduated and moved on to new pastures. We were delighted that our efforts were rewarded and the choir this year had a number of approximately 15, allowing us to produce a lovely sound in the music pavilion.

In Michaelmas, our repertoire always looks towards the festive season and includes secular and sacred pieces. This year the favourites included Nativity Carol and Deck the Halls. It was lovely to share our work with friends and family at our own concert, and we also very much enjoyed winter afternoon.

During Lent term, free from festive obligations we enjoyed preparing a diverse repertoire for our Spring Concert. We enjoyed a lovely description of the English countryside within Linden Lea, and expanded our horizons to include body percussion to accompany White Winter Hymnal. A particular favourite was a collection of folk songs arranged by our director Chloë Allison including Loch Lomond and O’ Shenandoah.

Regrettably, Cambridge life as we knew it came to an abrupt end before Easter term due to the ongoing global pandemic. We were unable to meet and sing over Easter term, which was due to be Chloë’s last term with Cavendish Chorale. She has directed the choir since 2016 and it is fiercely clear that working with a non-auditioning choir (open to all regardless of experience) takes a very special talent. We are so lucky to have had Chloë, she is leading Carols Around the Tree for the college on a brisk

endlessly patient, hugely skilled and very good fun. We look forward to seeing what she does next! Looking to the future, we hope that Cavendish Chorale can once again take place and find a new director as soon as it is safe and enjoyable to do so.

“I look forward to singing with Cavendish Chorale every week of term time! It allows me to completely relax and not think about work for a couple of hours every week and has definitely been one of my most memorable experiences of studying at Cambridge within Lucy Cavendish College. The girls are all so much fun and we have a great time singing together” – Lizzie Good

The Lucy Cavendish Singers 2019/20 By Katharina Megli (History 1991)

The Singers had a fantastic year, starting in September 2019 with a 25th Anniversary Gala Dinner in King’s Great Hall for 350 conference delegates – our fourth engagement for this organisation. In honour of the occasion we exchanged our usual performing black for ball gowns and jewels for the after-dinner set.

Ely Cathedral Lady Chapel is a magnificent place to sing and in October we gave our third lunchtime concert there, The Far Horizon, attracting a record audience and raising a record retiring collection for Cathedral Music.

“Yet another excellent concert...the balance and control was impressive...A challenging and varied programme.” Ely 2019

Tickets sold out in advance for A Winter Cabaret at Storey’s Field Centre, Eddington on 1st December. Guests were seated at tables, mulled wine to hand. It was great fun planning a cabaret evening where we could finally perform those spicy songs I haven’t been able to fit into other concert programmes.

On 10th December we had the honour once again of providing the choral music for the University Staff Lessons & Carols at Great St Mary’s Church. This event is a favourite in the Singers’ calendar, not least because the sopranos have been waiting all year to sing those descants! We were delighted to sing one more concert at Emmanuel United Reformed Church in early March before it closed for refurbishment. The programme Moving On included torch songs, close harmony, country and classical pieces.

Our spring and summer performances would have included a Promenade Concert at the Fitzwilliam Museum in May, a Coffee Concert at Stapleford Granary in June and a private dinner entertainment at Corpus Christi in July. Instead, we found ourselves taking on the interesting challenge of running rehearsals online via Zoom using a variety of techniques to learn new music for next year. It was wonderful to keep in touch each week and we certainly plan to be ready once public performances resume.

Throughout the year we have continued to add new video recordings to our YouTube channel – which has now recorded nearly 8,000 plays.

www.lucycavendishsingers.org.uk/youtube-channel

www.lucycavendishsingers.org.uk