The Queen's College Record 2023

Old Members’ Activities
Bruckner on Windermere
The second objective of the trip was to engage in some school outreach work, which
we were able to fulfil on 10 July. We visited Keswick School (with whom the College
is affiliated) and delivered an abbreviated programme of music to the students in
Year 12 during a morning assembly, talking about life as a singer and musician at
Queen’s in between each piece. This seemed to be received well by the students,
and we have been warmly invited back to do the same in the future.
I believe the ensemble benefitted well from the tour – travelling and performing with
small ensembles is always a joy, as you are able to listen and adapt to one another
far more ably than may be the case in a larger group. I have two personal highlights
from the trip: the first, singing Bruckner’s Locus iste whilst canoeing on Windermere;
the second, an incredibly transcendent moment when the Choir burst to life during
Tavener’s Song for Athene at the concert in Brathay (we had intended to record the
concert, but alas, this moment will remain a memory).
However, all this said, I believe the larger benefit was certainly seen by the people to
whom we performed. We were able to illustrate some of the best aspects of life at the
College fairly cheaply and easily, and to maximum effect, as all our engagements (bar
Keswick School) being completely open to the public and free. Some testimonials
from our trip are as follows:
“Sam contacted me in February, and we jumped at the idea of having a choir
representing The Queen’s College to come and sing Evensong. It was a wonderful
experience and there has been several accounts of how people were ‘moved’ at
the service. Not only have there been spiritual encounters, but the congregation
have been so impressed with the friendliness and courtesy of the student choir
and the way they mingled with us during the refreshments. We would very much
like the choir to visit us again where we will continue to invite the community as the
small early Victorian church is being renovated into the local community centre and
a place of worship.”
78 The Queen’s College | College Record 2023