The Choir of St John’s College Cambridge went on tour for the first time since 2019 to Luxembourg and The Netherlands with Director of Music, Chris Gray. They performed Christmas concerts to packed audiences at the Luxembourg Philharmonie with the internationally acclaimed organist Thomas Trotter, at one of the world’s finest concert halls, the Royal Concertgebouw, in Amsterdam, at the TivoliVredenburg in Utrecht, St Jacobskerk in Vlissingen, also at Kathedraal St Bavo in Haarlem and their final concert at St Stevenskerk in Nijmegen. Our 17 Choristers were accompanied by school and choir staff and the Lower Voices of St John’s, from 14th December to the 23rd, getting back just in time for Christmas.
The group stayed and performed in Luxembourg, Amsterdam and Utrecht singing a mixture of Christmas and winter music from Gardner, Tavener, Howells and Briggs. Venues included the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam (1974 capacity) and in Vlissingen, Haarlem and Nijmegen. The choir also sang live on BBC Radio 3.
“The concerts were sublime. The choristers did us all proud and there were a few moments where the staff welled up. What an atmosphere, what a moment. A once in a lifetime experience for the children to be part of.”
When not performing the Choristers squeezed in lots of fun. They took a boat trip, visited the Nemo Museum, hid from the rain in the cinema to see 'Wonka', took a swim, played some football, ate in lots of lovely restaurants and celebrated one of the Choristers turning 13.
Choir tours are a brilliant way to promote the choir, make new connections around the world, and they give the choir unbelievable and inspiring experiences.
