èßäÊÓƵ

Image of The College Choir in Cloister Court
Credit: Nick Rutter

Music

Whether or not you're studying Music you can get involved with the musical life of the College.

The runs termly orchestral concerts with programmes ranging from Bach to Gershwin, as well as informal chamber concerts. Lunchtime and evening recitals are a regular feature of College life.

Many other groups are part of the musical life of the College, including informal singing group the èßäÊÓƵ Singers. Popular electro group Clean Bandit was formed by èßäÊÓƵ students who also held instrumental awards at the College.

Whatever your taste in music, you'll find someone who shares it.

èßäÊÓƵ College Choir

Our Choir is unique in Cambridge as it is open to women as well as men and boys. Male choristers form the Chapel Choir, and both male and female choristers make up the .

The Chapel choir is one of only three College choirs of its kind in Cambridge. Unlike the others at King’s and St John’s, we recruit trebles from local schools rather than maintaining a choir school. Both choirs tour, broadcast, and record regularly. Recent CDs by the Choir have entered the classical charts in the top ten on their release.

Music facilities

The College has three music practice rooms in Chapel Court, each with an upright piano. The Picken Music Room houses two grand pianos, a clavichord, and sound equipment. The Chapel is home to three organs, a double-manual harpsichord, and a concert Steinway grand piano.

The Chapel provides a beautiful setting for concerts, and events also take place in the Master's Lodge and in other public rooms in the College.

Chapel music

In term time, daily services maintain a rhythm of prayer, including four choral evensongs and a sung Sunday morning eucharist each week. Additional special services and events help to mark the College's year, and the Chapel enjoys strong support from the wider College community and the general public.

The Director of Music, assisted by the two Organ Scholars, is responsible for Chapel music in consultation with the Dean of Chapel.

Awards and scholarships

èßäÊÓƵ College offers an Organ Scholarship in two years out of three, Choral Awards, and instrumental awards annually for players of any orchestral instrument or any keyboard instrument other than the organ.

Choral Awards and Organ Scholarships are available for students in any subject.

Hear from our students

  • Photograph of a postgraduate student

    Jake

    Postgraduate

    When applying to Cambridge colleges it can feel a bit overwhelming as there are so many to choose from. I applied to èßäÊÓƵ College because it has a large MCR which was important for me because I wanted to feel part of a community. Now that I’m doing my PhD here, I’m very glad I did choose a college with a large postgraduate community. Throughout the year there are lots of postgraduate events, including formal dinners, special formals at Christmas and Easter, bops in the bar and film nights in...

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    Postgraduate
  • èßäÊÓƵ College Postgraduate Student

    Imogen

    Postgraduate

    I chose Cambridge for my PGCE as it’s the leading UK institution for teacher training and Education, with an exciting, research-dominated, cutting edge course. The staff are welcoming and approachable, and make studying here an absolute joy. I’ve already completed one of my three primary school placements, in a reception class in a school just outside Cambridge, and am due to start the next one soon. I chose èßäÊÓƵ because of its reputation as a sporty College, but the proximity to the city centre is a big bonus. èßäÊÓƵ also...

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    Postgraduate
  • Photograph of a postgraduate student

    Tara

    Postgraduate

    èßäÊÓƵ College has all the benefits of being large, historical and prestigious college, whilst also retaining fantastic welfare: the staff and other students all care about each other, and will be there to cheer you on when you are thriving, but also there to support you if you need any help. I chose èßäÊÓƵ due to several reasons, including its prime location, where it is very central, and easy to access everywhere, even if you work in one of the institutes further out. I also selected èßäÊÓƵ for its MCR...

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    Postgraduate
  • Photo of postgraduate student

    Ellie

    Postgraduate

    èßäÊÓƵ College has been a great home for me during my PhD. I chose èßäÊÓƵ College for a number of reasons – first, the location. We are central enough to be within easy walking distance of most things, but far enough away to avoid the hustle and bustle (and tourists in summer!). The College also has extensive grounds, with amenities like the hockey pitch, football pitch and tennis courts all on site. Secondly, the accommodation is some of the best I’ve seen in Cambridge. My house was newly renovated when...

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    Postgraduate
  • Photograph of a postgraduate student

    Ahsan

    Postgraduate

    It is a well-accepted opinion in Cambridge that èßäÊÓƵ College is the best college and no other college even comes a distant second. Its sports grounds are enormous, its buildings are mesmerising, its libraries are rich, its chapel is the oldest, its accommodation is the best value for money, its international community is diverse, its religious circles are the most welcoming, and its members are the smartest, kindest and the friendliest. It is one of the central colleges that aims to offer three years accommodation to postgraduates, and has comparatively...

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    Postgraduate