Sing the Cambridge Colleges

Sing the Cambridge Colleges: an exceptional opportunity to sing in three of the Cambridge college chapels led by Jane Harris and Liam Kantor. 

Sing in inspiring and beautiful settings, immerse yourself in glorious harmonies and experience the colleges from the inside.

Thursday 9 April 2:15pm to Saturday 11 April approx. 10pm

Led by Jane Harris, Director of Songways, with guest tutor, Liam Kantor, vocalist, instrumentalist and workshop leader from Illinois. Jane and Liam are excited to collaborate in Cambridge, combining their complementary experience and styles to create a rich experience for singers.

UPDATE 11 March 2026 Due to unforeseen circumstances, Alexander Ling is unable to join us in Cambridge but I am grateful to Liam Kantor for stepping in. Liam and I first sang together on a song study trip in Corsica in 2023, we have many song leader connections through Village Harmony and Northern Harmony and we are excited to be working together in Cambridge.

Comments from singers from Sing the Cambridge Colleges 2025:

“The most fabulous weekend of singing”
“A memorable experience… truly thrilling at times”
“Superbly organised”
“Simply brilliant!”
“Sublime spaces in which to sing”
“A fabulous few days”
“Just perfect”
“Wonderful choice of songs and venues”
“An amazing pleasure and privilege”
“An immense experience… a gem of a weekend”

Jane leading singers in Clare College Chapel

Sing the Cambridge Colleges includes

• Full programme of singing on Thursday (from 3pm), Friday and Saturday in three college chapels: Corpus Christi, St Catharine's and Clare.
• Singing tuition led by Jane Harris and Liam Kantor
• Specially produced songbook with scores for all the music
• Access to learning tracks in advance for some songs 
• Thursday evening two course self-service dinner with a glass of wine in St Catharine's College Hall
• Friday evening free to eat out in Cambridge
• Privileged access to the renowned Clare College Fellows' Garden - lunchtime on the Saturday
• Saturday evening dinner (including wine) and social evening in the Garden Room at the Gillespie Centre, Clare College
• Privileged access to Corpus Christi, St Catharine's and Clare Colleges 
• Tea/coffee/biscuits refreshments in Corpus Christi College Hall on Thursday, and Clare College on Friday and Saturday

Corpus Christi College Chapel | Diliff, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

PRICE £320 per person, including all singing tuition, EXCLUDING ACCOMMODATION, which needs to be booked separately - see below.
NON-REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT £80
BALANCE £240 per person will be due by 9 February

EVENT STARTS
Thursday 9 April 2:15pm Welcome & tea/coffee Corpus Christi College Hall

EVENT ENDS
Saturday 11 April approx. 10pm after our dinner & social evening at the Gillespie Centre, Clare College

TUTORS

The tutors will be Jane Harris, Director of Songways, and Liam Kantor, vocalist, instrumentalist and workshop leader from Illinois.

Jane and Liam will bring a rich variety of songs including the exquisite new choral arrangement of the Lost Words Blessing from Spell Songs, Jane's own compositions, sacred songs, an African-American spiritual and South African choral music. To complete the team, Andrea Cheston will be helping to host the weekend and ensure that everything runs smoothly.

Jane Harris is a choir leader, composer, singer and Director of Songways, based in Bath, and an Old Member of Corpus Christi College. 

Jane loves to explore songs in different ways to enrich and deepen the singing experience. She has a clear, inclusive and enabling teaching style, uncovers the best in singers’ voices and draws people together with heartfelt, resonant singing. Jane has a rich, vibrant voice and has released an album of her own songs, inspired by the natural world – One touch of nature. Jane also performs with her own vocal group, Rolling Harmony.

“An exceptional teacher with a wonderful choice of songs”

Liam Kantor is a vocalist, traditional musician, teacher and researcher based in Evanston, Illinois, with specialities in community singing styles from around the world and Irish fiddle music. Built on years of intensive study and research, Liam strives to create spaces for genuine engagement with folk music and its particularities, whether it be in private lessons, small group experiences, or large workshops. Liam works with Village Harmony leading traditional music study-performance programs in the US and beyond.

Liam writes:

“In my view, the most satisfying way to engage with any music is as deeply as possible. Even with limited time, I try to create programs that get to the heart of what makes traditional music interesting.”

The Antechapel at Clare College... one of Jane's favourite places to sing

The Backs from Clare College bridge

SCHEDULE

Thursday 9 April
2:15pm Welcome in Corpus Christi College Hall with tea, coffee and biscuits 
3 - 5pm Singing in Corpus Christi College Chapel led by Jane and Liam
6pm Self-service dinner in St Catharine's College
7 - 8:30pm Singing in Corpus Christi College Chapel led by Jane and Liam

Friday 10 April
10am - 12:30pm Singing in St Catharine's College Chapel led by Jane and Liam (with a break)
Break for lunch - there are plenty of cafes nearby
2:30 - 4pm Singing in Clare College Chapel led by Jane and Liam
4pm Tea, coffee and biscuits 
4:45 - 6pm Singing in Clare College Chapel led by Jane and Liam

Saturday 11 April
10 - 11:15am Singing in Clare College Chapel led by Jane and Liam
11:15am Tea, coffee and biscuits
11:45 - 1:15pm Singing in Clare College Chapel led by Jane and Liam
1:15 - 2:15pm Option to visit the renowned Clare College Fellows' Garden
Break for lunch - there are plenty of cafes nearby
3:15 - 5pm Singing in Clare College Chapel led by Jane and Liam
From 7pm Drinks in the Garden Room at the Gillespie Centre, Clare College Memorial Court
7:30pm Hot buffet served
Approx. 9pm Cabaret - all contributions welcome - songs, poems etc.
Approx. 10pm End

Clare College Fellows' Garden

Corpus Christi College

ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS
Some colleges have rooms available on the University Rooms website. Twin and double rooms may be available in some colleges. The University Rooms website is updated regularly by the colleges and more rooms may be available for booking nearer the time. Or you may choose to make other arrangements.

GETTING THERE
You are responsible for your own transport to and from Cambridge.

CANCELLATIONS

£80 deposit is non-refundable. 

If you cancel after you have paid your balance (including for Covid reasons) and we are able to fill the space with another person, we will refund 50% of your balance. If your place is not filled, no refund will be paid.

If the event cannot take place due to Covid or other reasons you will be entitled to a refund of your full balance. The deposit would be retained to cover the organisational and administration work that would already have been done.

We recommend that you organise your own travel insurance.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Do not attend if you have Covid symptoms or a recent positive test.
In booking your place, you agree to act in accordance with Covid safety guidelines as they are in place at the time.

DISCLAIMER

You are responsible for your own health and safety at all times. 

Corpus Christi College | © Sandra Humphrey (cc-by-sa/2.0)

Clare College Chapel

St Catharine's College Chapel © Copyright Roger D Kidd and licensed for reuse under the Creative Commons Licence