College Record 2019

REPORTS
Wolfson Choir
The Choir got off to an excellent
start with a well-attended
‘Choir and Cupcakes’ event
during Wolfson Week, which introduced
potential members, as well as old hands,
to our new director, Caroline Lesemann-
Elliott. There was an energetic but informal
rehearsal in the Auditorium, followed by
home-made cupcakes in the Café. A core
group of about twelve members then met
throughout Michaelmas Term – a mix of
Wolfson students, post-docs, and visiting
students, as well as a few from other
colleges. At the end of Week 8, we put
together a Christmas concert, on Sunday
after the Winter Ball; a chance for members
of Wolfson to gather for Christmas music
ranging from the Coventry Carol to ‘Baby,
it’s cold outside’. We were joined by cellist
Kate Kennedy from the Oxford Centre for
Life-Writing, with her son on percussion,
making it a multi-generational celebration of
Wolfson. Mince pies were munched happily
afterwards, and donations taken for Amref.
In Hilary our rehearsals moved to Mondays,
and we spent the term preparing for a joint
concert with St Cross, as part of their annual
musical evening. The theme was ‘Folk music’,
and each choir sang a few songs, before
ending with a combined performance of
‘Only in Sleep’, a beautiful setting by Ēriks
Ešenvalds of a poem by Sara Teasdale. It
was a wonderful opportunity to sing in
a very different venue from usual, and
with a new group of singers. A few of us
were able to join St Cross at their formal
dinner afterwards, where we discussed the
possibility that this could become a regular
collaboration.
Trinity Term started with the May Morning
Concert in Week 1: only a small group of
us were able to take part, since several
members had other commitments on a
Wednesday morning, but we sang a highly
appropriate mix of songs, from a round
42
which imitates the bells of Tom Tower at
Christ Church, to ‘Sumer is a cumin’ in’, for
which we all put on our best Old English
accents.
We hope to continue and to grow in the
coming year.
Cricket
by Basil Nelis
I took over the captaincy of
the Wolfson / St Cross cricket
team from Pascal Delany at
the beginning of the season. I would like to
thank Pascal, congratulate him on his time as
captain, and express my enthusiasm at having
the opportunity to take over the role. I
would also like to thank Merton College and
their head groundsman, James Lisle, for giving
us permission to use their nets.
The team entered two competitions this
term, League and Cuppers. We faced Balliol
II in our first league match of the season.
A slick opening partnership from Laurie
Hutchence (30) – whose promising innings
was cut short by a shocking umpiring
decision – and Navin Cooray (30) provided
us with a good platform to build on. A slight
collapse down the order ensued, and this
set the stage for an inspired performance
at number 8 from Quinn Larkin, a baseball
player by trade making his bow on the
cricket field. Quinn gave the innings a
much-needed boost and looked on course
for a maiden half-century before being
caught behind, agonisingly, on 49. Balliol
were set with a total of 184 which they
failed to chase and Wolfson / St Cross were
comfortable winners by 60 runs. In the
first round of Cuppers we faced Queen’s,
with the game taking place on an overcast
afternoon at their beautiful grounds on
the banks of the Thames. A brewing storm
restricted us to a 15-over match and, despite
a superb knock by Navin (57) and some
COLLEGE RECORD 2019