Welcome from Ali Hill

It is an honour to welcome you to the Association’s tenth newsletter. I would like briefly to share some personal reflections which I hope will encourage you to book a train ticket to Cambridge, or come out after that busy day at work this year to spend time with old friends, make new memories and support the work of Stephen and the current choral scholars.

At the Association’s annual meeting in January this year – a lively affair at which we welcomed a new committee member, Chris Tortise – we were privileged to hear the current Choir performing for the Directors of Music from schools around the country. I was struck, as I always am, at the professionalism of the students and the astonishing results that they produce, particularly when half of them had no doubt just run in from lectures, or were in the process of recovering from an all-night essay panic! Special mention should go to the Junior Organ Scholar, Owain Park, whose stunning composition Tomorrow shall be my dancing day was performed: it has recently been recorded by the Choir.

This day-in-day-out yet extraordinary music making should be shared beyond only those able to attend Chapel; and so I am delighted to report that the Choir website has been a hit with visitors coming in their thousands to hear Choral Evensong broadcast each week online, or to listen again after the event. From my own experience I can tell you that it lights up an afternoon in a lonely hotel room halfway across the world, and I urge you to tune in wherever you are. Equally, for many who were unable to make Richard Marlow’s memorial service, the website was an invaluable link for what was such a special day, and I am sure that everyone will be moved to read Annette Marlow’s reflections on the service below.

Finally, I am very grateful to the TCCA for supporting and publicising the work of Songbound in this newsletter. Songbound is a musical charity for marginalised children in India for which I volunteer. I feel incredibly privileged, as I’m sure many of you do, to have such copious opportunities to sing with my friends from a young age, and it has undoubtedly shaped the course of my adult life, leading me to become a professional singer. Songbound offers a chance to give back some of that experience, and I do hope that some of you might join us in a trip to India to inspire some young voices there.

Alison Hill (2003) TCCA Committee member

Songbound

Songbound is a music outreach initiative that sets up and sustains choirs for India’s and Sri Lanka’s most marginalised children. Local choir leaders receive specialist training and take weekly rehearsals in preparation for collaborative projects with professional musicians from across the globe. In past years these have included the Scottish folk band, KAN, the Mahler Chamber Orchestra and the Choir of Jesus College Cambridge under Mark Williams.

TCCA Committee member and professional singer Alison Hill is closely involved with Songbound, and would welcome proposals from TCCA year-groups, perhaps under the direction of their original Organ Scholar, to travel to India and work with some of the 25 choirs run by Songbound in Mumbai, Bangalore, Pune, Chennai and Sri Lanka. Groups would need to be self-funding, but would be guaranteed an amazing experience which would enrich the lives of hundreds of local children. Please contact Ali at alihill@cantab.net.

Richard Marlow Memorial Fund

The Richard Marlow Fund is up and running and awaiting your generous contribution! The Fund will support international touring by the Choir to take British choral music to places where it would be difficult to perform without such support. By travelling to places such as South Africa, India and South America, the Choir can act as an ambassador not only for British music but also for Trinity College and the wider University.

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It is envisaged that a central part of these tours will be outreach activities, working with children for whom singing is a natural part of their culture but who have not had the opportunity to hear choral music at a high level. The tours will also provide unforgettable life experiences for the student members of the Choir, something which Richard was passionately keen to facilitate.

You are encouraged to make a contribution in Richard’s memory and can do so through the TCCA website, or send us a cheque payable to Trinity College Cambridge.

Memorial Service for Richard Marlow

by Annette Marlow

Thank you to everyone who came and who helped organise that extraordinary afternoon last November. Giles, Andrew and I were sad not to be able to speak to more people individually but with the age range 2–95 and the distance range College to Oregon and Tokyo, we could not have felt better supported. Musical friends from round the world have called the singing amazing: even RKM would, probably, have said “Not wholly intolerable”... He heard something like it at the 25-year and retirement Evensongs and this time, thanks to Stephen, there was added instrumental excitement. I was glad that hiding away made it possible for me to sing as well and so cope a little better with such an emotional day. No Tio Pepe in College any more, but drinks ‘under-the-vine’ or coffee somewhere are certainly on offer – 01223 362331 (Richard’s voice message still). Postcards cheer me, whether about travel, music-making or the chaos of daily life.

Richard Marlow Archive

As everyone who sang under Richard Marlow will remember, Richard always annotated his scores with his characteristically meticulous markings. With voice part entries colour-coded, and Marlovians everywhere, these scores provide a vivid insight into his working practices. Since his death, his scores have been collected together at Trinity and are now accessible to TCCA members and other scholars. If you would like to look at them please contact Paul Nicholson at pfn1000@cam.ac.uk. Richard’s re-pointing of the Parish Psalter is now accessible in the ‘Richard Marlow’ section of the TCCA website: www.trin.cam.ac.uk/tcca

Three Generations in Trinity Choir

by the Revd Canon Roland Meredith My father, Lewis Evan Meredith, came up to Trinity from Lancing College in 1919 to read Mathematics – soon changing to Theology. Although the Choir was then composed of boys from a local school and paid lay clerks, he was invited to join as a bass – the only member of the College to sing in it at that time. The organist was Alan Gray (still remembered for his collection of descants and evening canticles in F minor). The Choir sang three Evensongs each week as well as Matins and Evensong on Sundays. The Dean

of Chapel was F.A. Simpson, who was still there when I arrived later on. My father later became Precentor and Sacrist of Canterbury Cathedral, and throughout his parochial ministry trained and conducted choirs. He ended his career as Bishop of Dover [left] – back at Canterbury again! I came up to Trinity in 1952 from Cheltenham College (after National Service) and sang in the Choir as a volunteer under Dr Hubert

Middleton. I read History and Theology. There were still boys from the local school and we sang Evensong on Sundays and on saints’ days. There were some Choral Scholars – but only one practice a week. The Choir was not very proficient and we simply sang an anthem at Evensong. I remember Hubert Middleton playing the organ very fast indeed! The Dean of Chapel was first Professor John Burnaby and later Harry Williams. The former Dean F.A. Simpson was still a Fellow and lived in rooms in Great Court.

I was later ordained and served mostly in the north of Eng-land. I was an Honorary Canon of Blackburn Cathedral and am currently an Emeritus Honorary Canon of Christ Church – at ‘the other place’ – where I enjoy the music of the choir led by Stephen Darlington and Clive Driscoll Smith. My son, Richard Meredith, came up to Trinity from Haileybury in 1979 as a Choral Exhibitioner, and sang in the Choir for three years under Richard Marlow. They sang Evensong on two week-days, and at Holy Communion and Evensong on Sundays. I enjoyed coming over for the Advent Carol Service each year and sometimes a good Epiphany Carol Service. Richard served in the Foreign Office as a diplomat, and apart from a brief spell in the Temple Church choir his only musical activity was conducting an annual carol service for the Foreign Office in the chapel of the Tower of London. My grandfather, Arthur Meredith, was also at Trinity after migrating from Christ Church, Oxford, around 1875 after two years of ill health. I have no details of any involvement with the Trinity Choir, though he remained in Cambridge after ordination as a curate at St Andrew the Great.

Organ Scholars

Trinity’s Organ Scholars have always been an exceptionally talented bunch, and many have achieved greatness since leaving Cambridge. We are very proud of our current Organ Scholars, who look set to make a major impact on the music world. Eleanor Kornas holds the distinction of being Trinity’s first female Organ Scholar. This March she was the joint winner of the CUMS Concerto Competition, in which she played the first movement of Scriabin’s Piano Con-certo in F sharp minor. The judges for the final were Lorraine McAslan, Anna Noakes, John Rink, John Willan and Martin Yates. Elly has also been involved in the Pembroke Lieder Scheme. After auditions at the beginning of this academic year, she and Trinity Choral Scholar Hiroshi Amako were one of the four singer-pianist partnerships chosen, and they have been busy over this year with masterclasses and lessons from various singers such as Amanda Roocroft and Joan Rodgers and the pianist Joseph Middleton; they will participate in a showcase concert in April. In addition to her duties with the Choir, over the past year Elly has also given a piano recital at Jesus College, Cambridge, and an organ recital at the Albert Hall in Nottingham; and she played the piano in a concert of music by Nikolai Medtner at Pushkin House in London.

Meanwhile our Junior Organ Scholar Owain Park has been equally busy beyond the organ console. Since arriving at Trinity last Septem-ber he has received his FRCO; sung in the marvellous CUOS production of Britten’s Curlew River; sung bass solos in Karl Jenkins’s The Armed Man; played the crash cymbals in Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue at West Road;

directed a concert of Gesualdo’s Tenebrae Responsories for Maundy Thursday, and founded a chamber choir, Vospiri, with which in January he recorded a disc of the music of Harold Darke, some of it from Owain’s own transcriptions. Owain is already an acclaimed and prolific composer. In the past few months St Mary Redcliffe (Bristol) have premiered and recorded The Redcliffe Magnificat, which they commis-sioned for their new chamber organ. The Choir of Royal Holloway, University of London, has performed Louisa, and Trinity College Choir has premiered Judas mercator pessimus and Tomorrow shall be my dancing day; the latter was among several of Owain’s carols which have been recorded by the Choir for their forthcoming Christmas disc on Hyperion. Read more about Owain at www.owainpark.co.uk.

Remembrance Day Requiem

Stephen Layton invites all singing members to join the current Choir to sing the Duruflé Requiem at the evening service in Chapel on Remembrance Sunday, 9 November 2014. There will be a rehearsal at 3.45pm, with the service starting at 6.15pm. Afterwards a hot meal and drinks will be provided in the Old Kitchen. This is always a lovely occasion, and we hope you will be able to join us. The service is, of course, open to all who would like to attend.

Goodbye to Clive Russell

We are sorry to report the death, on 3 February 2013, of Clive Haden Russell, who was Organ Scholar from 1966 to 1968. His obituary notice (in the Birmingham Mail) described him as a very talented musician, teacher, classicist and polymath, but especially a good friend to many. He founded and ran the Albrighton Festival in Shropshire, and composed prolifically throughout his life, Benjamin Britten being a particular influence. Some of his music is being recorded by the Henry Ley Singers, based at Keble College, Oxford, on a CD entitled The Leaves of Life. Our commiserations to Clive’s family and friends.

TCCA Gathering

Our summer event last year was such a success that the TCCA Committee has decided to host another Gathering this year, on Saturday 28 June 2014. In addition to a picnic lunch and a concert by the current Choir, there will be an opportunity for everyone (including guests, if they wish) to sing in Chapel under the baton of Stephen Layton. We are hoping to recreate the splendid sound we made at the memorial service last November!

The event will be based around a picnic lunch on the Bowling Green (or in the Wren Cloisters if rain threatens). Bring your own rug and food; the College will supply wine, tea, coffee and cakes. Punts will be available to hire throughout the afternoon, and we hope to lay on a botanical tour of the Bowling Green led by one of the Gardeners. No accommodation or parking will be available in College this year, owing to building works in New Court; but we hope as many TCCA members as possible will come; your spouses, partners and children are also most welcome.

TTBB Annual Gatherings

This year the TCCA has been asked to provide singers for two Annual Gatherings, on Wednesday 16 July (1968-9) and Friday 19 September (1970-1). If you matriculated in one of the years mentioned you will be invited to attend by the Alumni Office, but if you would also like to sing your enjoyment of the day will be doubled! On both these occasions we will be re-creating the TTBB choir remembered by those of the vintages concerned. Tenors and basses from all other years are also invited to volunteer, so please check your diary for both dates and get in touch. The choirs will be directed by Nicholas King (on 16 July) and Richard Brett (on 19 September). Please contact Selene (sjw32@cam.ac.uk / 01223 330870) if you are at all interested in participating in the singing (and feasting!).

Dates for your Diary

TCCA Gathering: Saturday 28 June 2014

Annual Gathering (1968-69): Wednesday 16 July 2014

Annual Gathering (1970-71): Friday 19 September 2014

Remembrance Day Requiem: Sunday 9 November 2014

Alumni Carol Service: Monday 8 December 2014, St Sepulchre without Newgate, London

Chapel Website

The website has many features buried beneath its surface. You can find information on virtually everyone commemorated in the building – on the brass plaques, the wood carvings above the stalls, the statues, in the windows and on the war memorials. There is an interactive index of the memorials, or you can click through picture galleries showing photographs of all the memorials and windows.

This term’s fascinating facts:

• There is only one woman buried in the Ante-Chapel: Elzimar Smith, the sister of the 18th-century Master Robert Smith, and cousin of Roger Cotes, also buried here. Unfortunately her name is wrongly spelled on her tombstone, which is inscribed ‘Elizmar’.

• Three of Trinity’s war dead were awarded the Victoria Cross. Three further VCs were awarded to Trinity men who survived the wars.

Access the website at http://www.trinitycollegechapel.com.

Festival of the Voice

As you might know, Selene Webb also runs the charity Cambridge Early Music, whose 2014 Festival of the Voice will be held in Trinity Chapel over the weekend of 2-4 May. The Festival is focused on The Hilliard Ensemble and some of the groups which the Ensemble has nurtured and performed with over its illustrious forty-year career. TCCA member Reiner Schneider-Waterberg will be returning to Trinity Chapel to perform with Singer Pur, Germany’s leading vocal ensemble, which has performed in over forty countries and in recent years has won the ECHO Klassik prize, considered Europe’s most prestigious CD award, no fewer than three times. You might remember Reiner as a countertenor, but we are glad to report that his voice has finally broken and he now sings as a baritone. Come and hear him on 2 and 3 May.

Details of the Festival of the Voice and Cambridge Early Music’s other concerts and summer schools (on baroque and renaissance music for singers and instrumentalists) are at www.cambridgeearlymusic.org.

Don’t forget! Websites

• TCCA: www.trin.cam.ac.uk/tcca

• Chapel: www.trinitycollegechapel.com

• Choir: www.trinitycollegechoir.com

Webcasts Listen live to all choral services from Trinity College Chapel, or listen again to any service, including the Richard Marlow Memorial Service.

Richard Marlow Fund Donate through the TCCA website or send a cheque (payable to Trinity College Cambridge) to Selene Webb, Trinity College, Cambridge CB2 1TQ.

Friends of Trinity College Choir Give active support to the Choir’s concerts, tours and recordings – see www.trinitycollegechoir.com/friends.

Contact us…

…with your comments, ideas, pictures or reminiscences, change of contact details, or news of ‘missing’ members. Get in touch either through the ‘contact’ page of the TCCA website or by emailing Selene Webb at sjw32@cam.ac.uk. You could also write to her at Trinity College, Cambridge CB2 1TQ.