George Gillow is a third-year student reading Music at Clare, where he shares the accompaniment of the choir in its services, tours and broadcasts.  Before coming to Cambridge,   he was organ scholar of Gloucester Cathedral during the academic year 2017–18, where he assisted in the accompaniment of the four Cathedral choirs, the Cathedral’s programme of singing outreach in primary schools and the administration of its busy music department. During the academic year 2018–19, he studied organ and harpsichord at the Conservatoire de Toulouse with Michel and Yasuko Bouvard. Whilst in Toulouse, he played historic organs, explored Mediaeval buildings and pursued his interest in cheese. As an organist he has accompanied the Duruflé Requiem, and as a concerto soloist he has performed JS Bach's Harpsichord Concerto in D Minor. He has also directed Clare College Music Society in a performance of Mozart’s Coronation Mass and looks forward to further conducting opportunities this year. He studies the organ with Douglas Hollick and James McVinnie, and the piano with John Bryden and Robert Bottone.

Samuel Jones is in his second year studying Music. He started playing the organ whilst at the Royal Grammar School, Guildford where he gained valuable experience accompanying the Chamber Choir at venues such as Keble College, Oxford and St. Paul’s Cathedral. In the Sixth Form, he was appointed Organ Scholar of the Chapel Royal, St. James’ Palace, London where he had the opportunity to play at a broadcast Ballroom Carol Service from Buckingham Palace and at the Royal Maundy service held at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle.

After leaving school in 2019, Samuel spent a Gap Year as Organ Scholar at Portsmouth Cathedral, where he assisted in accompanying the cathedral choirs in their 8 weekly services and the Choral Scholars in concerts throughout the year. He also acted as choir librarian and worked in an administrative role at Portsmouth Grammar School.

Last year at Clare he enjoyed playing for multiple BBC Radio 3 Broadcasts and became an Associate of the Royal College of Organists. In addition to his duties with the chapel choir, he also acts as organist for St. John’s Voices.

Samuel enjoys performing as a soloist on both the organ and the piano, recently playing works such as Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G. Aside from the keyboard, Samuel also plays the oboe in both a chamber and ensemble capacity.  

Arthur is a third-year undergraduate reading History at Clare. He sings bass-baritone in the choir and studies with Robert Rice. Arthur is also the Senior Choral Scholar for 2021-22.

Despite two years affected by COVID-19, Arthur has still had the opportunity to tour to the Netherlands, Iceland and the South-West of England. While singing in the choir he has also recorded an Icelandic disk, as well as previously unrecorded Vaughan Williams music in collaboration with the Britten Sinfonia.

Arthur is also a keen actor and has drawn on his performance experience as a singer and instrumentalist when involved in university opera society and musical theatre productions. He also enjoys classical theatre and new writing. Most importantly, Arthur hopes to continue the success of the CCCCCCFC football team- victorious in the choir league in both the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons.

Arthur says:

“I think what has truly struck me most about my experience in Clare Choir is not simply how high the standard of music making is, but how wonderful everyone in the choir is too; I feel incredibly lucky to have met a group of such kind and humorous people. As term begins to intensify, or if a reading list seems particularly arduous, I know I can find release at evensong and afterwards have a chat over a cup of tea or a pint with some of my closest friends.”

Rosina has just completed her undergraduate degree in Classics at Murray Edwards College and is now studying for an MPhil in Classics, also at Murray Edwards. This will be her fourth year of singing as an alto in Clare Choir. During that time, she has been fortunate enough to perform in concerts across the UK as well as in Canada, the USA, Mexico, Spain, Hong Kong, Macau, China, The Netherlands and, most recently, Iceland.

Alongside her choir duties, Rosina enjoys singing in operas, giving solo recitals, and playing the violin in various college music society orchestras. She also writes as an agony aunt for Varsity and volunteers in the Museum of Classical Archaeology.

Rosina says: “I have gained so much from my time in the choir; my mind has been enriched by the musical opportunities, the tours, and the chance to hear and engage with the lively, passionate and intelligent voices that make up our community. I feel so incredibly lucky and grateful to have regular chances to sing extraordinary music and to have met so many wonderful people along the way — not to mention that choir provides some much-need work/life balance! Singing in Clare Choir has been a dream come true and it remains an integral part of my university experience.”

Victoria is a third-year undergraduate student reading Music at Clare College. She sings tenor in the Choir, studying with Robert Rice, and has a particular interest in early music. She has performed in tours across the globe, picking up souvenirs, memories and the Dutch for “sorry, I don’t speak Dutch” along the way. 

Victoria is an officer on the Union of Clare Students committee. She enjoys cooking, particularly for groups of friends, and firmly believes that over-seasoning food is all but impossible.

“The most satisfying part of being a Choir member for me is our role within the College community. Participating in important events within the College’s life - Graduation, Matriculation, and the Installation of the new Master - is very rewarding, and I think it is a great thing that students at Clare can access music being performed at such a high standard every week during their time here. The Choir also, of course, provides its members with excellent opportunities to develop as singers; it’s often said that experience is the best teacher, but only ever by people who haven’t met the singing teachers associated with the Choir.”

Second soprano Louise Turner is a fourth-year undergraduate at Clare, where she studies History and Modern Languages.

Before arriving in Cambridge, Louise spent a year working as a Musician in Residence in a school, during which time she also sang in the Youth Choir of Gloucester Cathedral and played in the Gloucestershire Symphony Orchestra.

As a member of Clare Choir, Louise studies singing with Helen Groves where she continues to work on her solo voice and repertoire. Louise has particularly enjoyed the large joint events performed with other Cambridge choirs and orchestras and even professional groups such as the OAE. Singing in King’s Chapel really is a once-in-a-lifetime experience! She has also been lucky enough to leave Europe for the first time with the choir, touring to the USA, Canada, Mexico, Spain, East Asia, and the Netherlands, and she looks forward to the many exciting experiences still to come.

Also a violinist, Louise has performed with ensembles across the UK and Europe, including at the Royal Albert Hall, and in many Cambridge venues with the Clare College Music Society – for which she has also acted as secretary.

After a Year Abroad spent in Berlin, Louise says: “Singing with Clare Choir has given me some of the best experiences I’ve had in Cambridge so far, and I’m so excited to be back in the stalls again!”