St John’s Budding Organists Entertain

Lots of excellent musical activity to report from St John’s College Choir School in Cambridge including the news that Jaylen Cheng (aged 11) has just got a distinction in his grade 8 piano. Many congratulations Jaylen!

Well done also to the three St John’s College Choristers who gave an organ recital at the Church of Our Lady & The English Martyrs (OLEM) in Cambridge earlier this term. All were aged 12 or younger and are pupils of Nigel Kerry, Director of Music at the church.

Director of Music at St John’s, Simon Kirk, says: “It was a great privilege to be invited to perform on the fine organ at Our Lady and the English Martyrs. Our three young organists more than rose to the occasion, playing with an impressive level of skill and considerable confidence, maturity and artistry.”

The music included: Intrada by Grayston Ives, Praeludium n D (BuxWV 139) and Toccata in F (BuxWV 157) by D Buxtehude, Chorale Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier (BWV 731) and Chorale In dir ist Freude (BWV 615) by J S Bach, Rhosymedre by R Vaughan Williams, Elgar’s Nimrod and The Archbishop’s Fanfare by Francis Jackson, who celebrated his 100th birthday on the previous day.

With its huge spire and sturdy tower, OLEM is one of the landmarks of Cambridge and one of the largest Catholic Churches in the country. The Retiring Collection was in aid of the OLEM Music Trust.