The choral music world is in uproar after news broke that the St John’s Voices choir is to be disbanded and its director Graham Walker to lose his role.
The mixed choir, which is unusual in giving adult female sopranos a place to sing, was formed in 2013 to complement the work of The Choir of St John’s College.
But after a review of music offered in the college, it was decided the “significant resources” used for St John’s Voices would be redirected towards “new opportunities”, according to a statement from the college’s director of music, Christopher Gray.
The choir is led by acclaimed conductor Graham Walker, who was also until recently choir director of New Cambridge Singers. In a message on social media, St John’s Voices said: “We were devastated to hear yesterday that the college has decided to disband SJV at the end of this academic year.
“We are so proud of what we have achieved and will miss singing together every Monday. Thank you for your support.”
The response of the choral world on social media has been one of shock. Organist and director of music at Pembroke College Anna Lapwood, said on X (formerly Twitter): “I’m devastated to read this”
She added that what conductor Graham Walker had achieved was “extraordinary” and asked: “Why get rid of one of the best mixed voice choirs in Cambridge?... Accepting girl choristers doesn’t eliminate the need for more opportunities for adult sopranos. It feels a bit like they’re giving with one hand and taking away with the other. Please reconsider this decision”.
Meanwhile, Jonathan Schranz, director of music at St George’s Cathedral Southwark and conductor of The Purcell Singers, said on X: “So we start girls’ / mixed choirs, we train up our girl choristers to sing soprano, and then we tell them they can’t sing as adults because all the best places are taken by children. Short-sighted decision.”
And Emma Cleobury, widow of Sir Stephen Cleobury, the former director of music at King’s College, said: “This is absolutely appalling news. Stephen would have been shocked at his old college’s actions. There is room for two choirs. Where will female adult sopranos sing?”
The members of St John’s Voices are drawn from across the student body of St John’s, as well as the wider university and city communities, giving many opportunities to female singers. St Johns does have another women’s singing group, Aquila, which was the first ever all-female a cappella, or unaccompanied, singing group at St John’s.
Christopher Gray, director of music at St John’s College, said in a statement: “The college has recently completed a comprehensive review of music in the college following, last year, a review of the contribution of the chapel to the life of the college. The college has decided to pursue a broader approach to co-curricular opportunities in music, including different genres, and wishes to redirect towards these new opportunities the significant resources currently provided in support of its second chapel choir. In the light of this, the decision has been taken to disband the St John’s Voices at the end of Easter term 2024. This decision also allows the chapel to move to a six-day a week programme of worship; the creation of a quiet day which will enable different uses of the space and free up time and resources for the chapel’s leadership to progress exciting student programmes for civic engagement and understanding faith, which were agreed recommendations in the 2023 review.
“St John’s Voices has made an admired contribution to the choral landscape of the university over the last decade under the excellent direction of Graham Walker.”
