You might mistake this photo for sunny Italy with the vibrant market place and the Italian wine. With respect to Erasmus – you can find very nice French wine in Cambridge (though this particular bottle was not one.) Some blog readers will remember Sarah MacDonald who visited SMM with her choir last month. I watched in awe as she entertained a group of
visiting German church musicians, and I learned a lot about the inner workings of the college system. I’m to conduct the choir in Evensong on Tuesday (gulp) with one rehearsal. I’ve heard 4 college choirs now, King’s, St. John’s, Selwyn and Sidney Sussex where Eric Whitacre is doing a residency. I’ve also heard an amateur symphonic concert, and a student production of The Tempest. Next week it’s the Greek Play. I have my reader’s card at the university library, so I was able to read some Shakespearean commentary before seeing the play.
Here’s my wee hobbit hole. Actually I have a very nice room overlooking the college green and the chapel, and right now, with my window open, I can hear the students going through a Sunday night ritual – playing instruments together just for fun – now it’s RVW Folksong Suite… Cambridge is officially (this year) the best university in the world. I think here is one example – there is a tremendous sense of community here and people make things happen.