It is a huge privilege to be able to direct the music for the Evensongs in the University Church because of the church's association with Thomas Cranmer, who devised the Book of Common Prayer. We also get to hold these services in the Chancel, where the choir would have sung from in years gone by. There is a beautiful intimacy when Evensong is sung in the Chancel, and the acoustic is much better; the Chancel has beautiful wood panelling which really keeps the sound alive.

Choosing repertoire can be challenging as the organ is very much positioned to play for Nave services, and the connection to the Chancel is cut off. As a result, I choose a lot of unaccompanied music, but there are times when we use the organ, which can be very effective. I like to use a combination of classic Tudor music (Byrd, Gibbons, Weelkes) alongside more contemporary composers (Ives, Jackson, Moeran). I try to ensure that the introits and anthems celebrate and reflect the liturgical year which always adds not only variety in the repertoire, but also enhances our sense of where we are in the liturgical calendar. This Summer we will be programming a number of choral items by William Byrd to mark the 400th anniversary of his death on 4th July 1623.

We sing our Psalms to classical western chants, and always sing full Preces and Responses. For our summer series of Evensongs there will be Responses by Byrd and Smith, Canticles by Gibbons, Weelkes and Farrant, and motets by Bach, Bruckner, Stainer, Wood, Vaughan-Williams, Byrd, and Harris. We look forward to welcoming you to Evensong on the Sundays of July at 3.30pm.