Out of the ashes: Cambridge Schola, formed out of the disbanded St John’s Voices, joins with BBC Singers for Rachmaninov’s Vespers at Ely Cathedral

Cambridge Schola

Around this time last year, St John’s College, Cambridge disbanded St John’s Voices, the mixed voice choir based at the college which had been created in 2013 to allow female members of the college to take part in the college’s choral tradition. Despite significant outcry, the College pressed ahead with the closure.

There has, however, been a more positive outcome as the Cambridge Schola emerged from the ashes. Directed by Graham Walker and with a home base at Emmanuel College, Cambridge Schola performs weekly services of candlelit Compline or Vespers in a different chapel or church each Monday; alongside these services the choir performs concerts each term in and around Cambridge as well as undertaking a variety of other activities.

As part of their new existence, the choir is partnering with a local primary school as a pilot for a bigger project, supported by Deloitte, which will see choir members going regularly into local schools to help teachers and staff with their music provision, encouraging children to get singing. The choir members see this as away to share the support which they experienced during their struggles last year.

On Friday 13 June, the choir is joining forces with the BBC Singers for a concert at Ely Cathedral performing Rachmaninov’s All-Night Vigil ‘Vespers’ conducted by Graham Walker. The concert also features Graham Walker in his cellist guise, performing Rachmaninov’s Cello Sonata in G minor with pianist Iain Farrington.

Full details from Ely Cathedral website.