The Choir of Wolfson College, Cambridge

The Choir of Wolfson College Cambridge is a mixed choir which draws its membership from across the College community. There are no auditions for Wolfson students for the first term, but enthusiasm, commitment and a basic ability to sing in tune and some music reading skill are expected. There is a short vocal assessment once new singers have served one term to assess whether a singer should continue in the choir. The Choir does fewer services/events than many other college choirs, suiting the busy schedules of graduate students and those who might also sing elsewhere.

The choir performs at least one concert and one service per term as well as singing at the College summer garden party and occasional external events such as the University Sermons. In Michaelmas term they also sing at the Advent Carol Service at St Mark's Church in Newnham. Summer tours usually happen every few years including tours to Hungary, the south of France, Thessaloniki, and Rome. In 2023 the choir celebrated Lynette Alcántara's 30th anniversary conducting the choir with a joyful alumni performance of Rutter's Gloria.

Other past events include singing on BBC Songs of Praise, being invited to join the congregational hymns in the BBC TV programme 'Easter from King's, performing in Mahler's Symphony of a Thousand at Ely Cathedral, and joining a massed university chorus to accompany Simon Keenlyside in a performance of Vaughan Williams's Five Mystical Songs at the BBC Proms to celebrate the University's 800th anniversary. They joined forces in a 'massive' performance of Handel's Messiah at the Royal Festival Hall in London with The Sixteen choir and orchestra conducted by Harry Christophers.

Repertoire is a mix of sacred and secular, ranging from the Renaissance through to the twenty-first century, including lighter music for garden parties and dinners. Recent works performed include: Don Gillthorpe's Jazz Missa Brevis, an Abba medley, a programme of Scandinavian music, Chilcott - The Making of the Drum, Ramirez Misa Criolla, Purcell's Dido & Aeneas, Fauré Requiem, Britten Hymn to St. Cecilia, Purcell Ode on St. Cecilia's Day, Haydn St. Nicholas Mass, Handel Messiah, Mozart Requiem, Brahms Ein deutsches Requiem, Finzi In Terra Pax and Rutter Gloria. Most of the larger scale works are performed with a chamber ensemble or brass ensemble.