Celebrating College Music at the May Week Concert

Taking place in a packed College Chapel, the concert saw performances from the College's vocal ensembles and musicians from the student and wider College community.

The Choir of St John's performed three works that each featured a Johnian instrumentalist; 'Thirst' - written by student Lara Weaver - featured Laura van der Heijden on cello; James Macmillan's 'Domine non secundum peccata nostra' featured Leo Appel on violin; Gabriel Jackson's 'Vox clara ecce intonat' featured Ignacio Mañá Mesas on saxophone.

The concert demonstrated the talent of the College's solo performers. Aïda Lahlou (piano) performed Rameau's 'Gavotte et six doubles'. written in 1727. Herbert Howells Organ Scholar Glen Dempsey performed an arrangement of Holst's 'Jupiter' from The Planets from the organ loft. Laura van der Heijden - accompanied by Matthew Gibson, Choral Scholar and President of the Music Society - performed Rachmaninoff's 'Vocalise' in a special arrangement for cello and piano.

St John's Voices - the College's mixed-voice Choir, directed by Graham Walker - performed one of J.S. Bach's surviving motets, 'Lobet den Herrn, alle Heiden' and the well-known spiritual 'Swing low, sweet chariot', in an arrangement once dedicted to the Gentlemen of St John's.

The Aquila ensemble goes from strength to strength under the direction of Joanna Forbes L'Estrange, ably covering a range of genres with arrangements of 'Bring me a little water, Sylvie', 'The Sound of Silence' and 'Shoop da Boogie'.

The St John's College Jazz Band - led by College alumnus Ollie Lepage-Dean - performed as the College community gathered together in Chapel Court over drinks and nibbles to celebrate a wonderful evening of music-making.

Learn more about St John's College Music Society >