CLARE NEWS AUTUMN / WINTER 2011 EDITION 28 EDITION
Brian Pope (1911-2011) Rugby and Golf Legend
A Day in My Life Matilda Hofman Conductor Rising Talent Jo Dally Scientist Six Questions James Cochrane British Red Cross One Year On Graham Ross Director of Music Sporting Blues Clare sport on the march CLARE NEWS A Day In My Life: Matilda Hofman (1998) –
atilda Hofman has conducted at Most of my work at the moment is with the Salzburg Festival, the Berlin contemporary ensembles in Berkeley and M MusikFest and has led the BBC San Francisco, such as the Left Coast Philarmonic and the London Symphony Chamber Ensemble and the Empyrean Orchestra in a masterclass. Matilda lives Ensemble, as well as symphonic and near San Francisco with her husband and operatic work, but I also come back quite two young sons. regularly to work in Europe. I recently recorded a new work by Kurt My father, who was a singer, always Rhode with the Left Coast and the German encouraged my musical interests. I spent a violinist Axel Strauss – a fantastic musician large part of my childhood playing chamber and collaborator. music with friends, and was lucky to be In July, I was Second Conductor for Luigi coached by some of the great chamber Nono’s Prometeo at the Salzburg Festival musicians, including members of the Takacs, (the piece requires two conductors). The Amadeus and Endellion quartets. production went on to the Berlin MusikFest I started out as a violinist, and switched to in September. Rehearsals were intense with viola while I was at Clare, studying with twelve hour days. Garfield Jackson from the Endellion. I did a Postgraduate Diploma in viola at the Royal Academy after Cambridge. I discovered the incredible I discovered the incredible joys of making joys of making music music as a conductor whilst at Clare. It’s as a conductor whilst where I began my journey with wonderful at Clare. It’s where I began peers, instrumentalists and composers alike. As President of the Clare College Music my journey… Society, I was collaborating with others to produce a range of concerts. The forces are four orchestral groups, solo I also had a year as a conductor with winds, solo strings, chorus, solo singers and Cambridge University Music Society, live electronics. The rehearsal process was a putting together an opera group and fascinating collaboration on a wonderful commissioning new works. and very special piece, which is as much We now live in Davis, a small university philosophy as music. town in California, so I can cycle almost Mornings at home begin with a cycle ride, everywhere. I was brought up in London taking my two boys to pre-school. My days and then in Oxfordshire, but moved to are intense both professionally and with the US to study conducting and be with family life. I don’t get much of a chance to my future husband who is a composer and unwind, but I always try to have a good conductor. book on the go – I am just coming to the
RISING TALENT Dr Jo Dally (2001) Private Secretary to the Government Chief
he Japan earthquake-tsunami and the briefings and organising his media Taftermath of the resultant Fukushima appearances and international travel. nuclear disaster, is the kind of unexpected As his senior Private Secretary, Jo and high profile issue that can occupy accompanies him when he meets Ministers Jo Dally’s working life. and other high-level stakeholders in the During the crisis, her office worked UK, with Commissioners in Brussels and on round the clock to ensure Professor Sir many of his international visits. John Beddington had the correct and Jo graduated from Liverpool University up-to-date material for his advising the and then came to Clare College to do a PhD Prime Minister, Cabinet and British in Experimental Psychology under the Nationals caught up in the tragedy. supervision of Professor Nicky Clayton FRS. Jo leads a Private Office team of five Professor Clayton describes her former that sits within the Government Office student as “a star who was always going for Science. Her team acts as the interface to rise to the top…a high octane, between Sir John and the rest of the quick-thinking, fast-moving girl with Government, providing him with timely oodles of energy”. policy-relevant advice, preparing his Whilst in College, Jo was President of the
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conductor A MOMENT IN TIME
end of War and Peace. Alice in Wonderland was the theme of last summer’s The times when I am able to focus May Ball. Committee President and fourth year solely on my work are a luxury. I get very Classicist Lucy Aldous (2007) – pictured graduating – single-minded and want to study my scores said that “the best moment is the opening of the as much as possible whenever I get a doors at 9pm when all the hard work throughout chance, to make the music completely part the year is about to pay off”. She got of me. to bed at 6pm the next night. I tend to feel more excitement than nerves when conducting. My job is to inspire muscians and support those I am directing who may be nervous. During rehearsal periods, each session opens up so many more ideas and thought processes that I usually want to go back afterwards to look at more details and reconsider my decisions. Getting exercise is crucial for my sanity though. As well as good food and good coffee! While doing a Masters at Eastman Music School in New York I was Music Director of an outreach orchestra (The New Eastman Outreach Orchestra), focussing on developing long-term musical relationships with inner-city schools. In addition, I founded the Kreisler Ensemble in 2003, which aims to reach new audiences through innovative programming and unusual venues. It is inspiring to see how music can transform the lives of people who would never otherwise hear it. I believe it is an important responsibility for performing musicians to make the conscious effort to use their art form for positive social change. One of Matilda’s performances next year is on 19 February with the Kammerakadamie Potsdam.
Scientific Adviser
MCR before becoming a College Research Associate, Director of Studies and then a Research Fellow at Lucy Cavendish. She is a Fellow at the Centre of Science & Policy in Cambridge. Jo also met her future husband at Clare, Anthony Miller (2001), who was studying for a PhD in Classics. Jo describes her current job as “a dream role as I get to engage with a variety of science and research issues right across government, to meet eminent people from around the world and to see policy- making in action”. If and when she gets itchy feet, she would like to move to a post where she can “get to grips with the detail of a policy area” and engage with it more fully.
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In every issue of Clare News, we ask SIX QUESTIONS: JAMES COC one of our alumni six questions about their work. ONE Why did you chose to work for the Red Cross? James Cochrane (1962) The Red Cross is the largest humanitarian organisation in the world, operating in 186 is the Chairman of countries. It believes in helping vulnerable people in a crisis wherever they are, both in the British Red Cross the UK and overseas. responsible for one I was appointed Chairman of the British Red Cross in 2007 and was attracted of the UK’s largest by its values of humanity, neutrality and independence. I felt that I could add charities. something based on my career in the pharmaceutical industry, where I retired from the main Board of Glaxo. Previously he worked for Shell followed TWO by 30 years in the What is the biggest challenge in the job? Our biggest challenge is that we always pharmaceutical have more to do than the resources industry ending up on available. We have to focus on areas where the the main Board of Glaxo greatest need exists, where we can add real value and help our beneficiaries to the Wellcome, responsible maximum extent. for their international There were over 400 ‘crises’ operations. in the world last year and the International Red Cross The Red Cross is movement and Red Crescent Movement helped in most of heavily involved with them...Success is difficult to emergency response measure in a humanitarian organisation where there is both in this country always more that can be done. and overseas, helping recently with The British Red Cross has around 30,000 earthquakes in Haiti volunteers, 3,000 employees and an income of £200 million, we need to recruit, retain and Chile. and motivate excellent professionals. 10,000 individual grants of £300 each to help people to get their lives together. With this money one woman, whose restaurant Whilst at Clare, James THREE had been destroyed, was able to buy ovens, How do you know that a mission has tables and chairs and she is now supporting was active on many been a success? her family independently. fronts including the Success is difficult to measure in a We help thousands of people in the UK humanitarian organisation where there is every year who are victims of floods, fires, College’s Squash, Music, always more that can be done. riots and other emergencies. In Bangladesh in the early 1990s, a major and Boat Clubs and cyclone killed over 150,000 people. We also the University constructed simple concrete cyclone FOUR shelters in the worst affected areas. In What is the main crisis the organisation is Exploration Club. 2007 a similar cyclone struck and only dealing with at the moment? 3,000 people died. After the devastating There were over 400 ‘crises’ in the world earthquake in Haiti in January last year, part last year and the International Red Cross of our programme has been to give over movement and Red Crescent Movement
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helped in most of them. Our current Our main goal is to continue to support running an HIV prevention and treatment priorities are in the reconstruction of Haiti vulnerable people in crisis, wherever programme with the South African Red and the famine in the Horn of Africa which or whenever that occurs, regardless of Cross, generously funded by an individual affects over 10 million people. We must find what caused the crisis. We will provide UK donor. a longer term solution. emergency response when needed and I met a man who, nine months previously, In the UK our volunteers are helping extend first aid training to every household. had been bedridden and sick with AIDS and elderly people return home from hospital We will provide health and social care was unable to support his family. A Red up to two days early by visiting them as programmes for the most vulnerable Cross worker had found this man and they are discharged and providing care and throughout the country. transported him to the clinic over an hour support in the home for up to six weeks. An We need to support these programmes away. He is now on free medication, actively excellent service that needs to be available by excellent, professional Fundraising. running a small building business and nationally. supporting eight members of his family. He told me ‘I would not be alive today if it was SIX not for the Red Cross’. FIVE What has been your stand-out moment That’s what makes it worth it. What are the Red Cross’ goals for the since being in the job? next 10 years? Recently I visited South Africa where we are www.redcross.org.uk
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UPDATES Appointment of second Tower Hamlets pupil Schools Liaison Officer graduates from Clare Clare is the only Cambridge college to appoint a second Schools Liaison Officer (SLO) (part-time) to help with its award- Lydia Dixon lives in a converted pub in winning work of raising aspirations and Tower Hamlets and has 11 siblings. She widening access among schools in Tower was at a 97% ethnic minority school and Hamlets, Hackney and Coventry. applied for Clare having taken part in a Ruth Dewhirst, who has just graduated “raising aspirations” scheme. She has just in English from Christ’s, will be focussing graduated in Classics. on Hackney schools in particular, under Before arriving at Clare she expected a the direction of Anthony Fitzpatrick, who split between the state school and private has been Clare’s full-time SLO since 2010. school students, but discovered it wasn’t Anthony writes: “What I love about my actually a problem. It did take her about a work at Clare is the difference in focus of term for her to settle in and to make firm our Schools Liaison efforts compared with friendships, however. Lydia still never felt most other Colleges in Cambridge and completely at home in Cambridge, but puts it down to the fact that “you can take the girl out of the East End but you can never take the East End out of the girl”. The small tuition groups, the hallmark of a Cambridge education, helped Lydia enormously. “The supervisions are brilliant…being able to discuss something with a world expert was indispensible”. The l Lydia Dixon College has been akin to a new family for her and she has found the support (Tutor) If she had been starting her university systems to be excellent. career in 2012 (with the £9000 per annum Lydia has been involved in helping with tuition fees) she says she “would not have access tours by Clare students to Tower come”. However, she has been greatly Hamlets, Hackney and Coventry. “It is supported here by Clare’s “23 Club” and also positive that Clare College encourages all by the Isaac Newton Trust. She feels that it is the students to get involved, regardless of important that poorer students know and school and background.” believe that they will receive financial l School Liaison officers Anthony “However there are very few ethnic assistance, otherwise they will not dream Fitzpatrick and Ruth Dewhirst minorities at Cambridge” and she would like of coming to Cambridge. Lydia is now looking for a career which Oxford – we are committed to raising to see this change. One barrier she mentions is people-orientated and intellectually aspirations in young people as young as is that, particularly with Asian female rewarding, and is very keen to maintain 9 or 10. We work hard to ensure they have students, the families may be reluctant to let her relationship with the College. all the facts about and don’t believe the them study in another city. myths that they hear about university in general and Cambridge in particular. “ Provision for excellence in teaching transforms academic results Annual Fund Dr Kirsty Hughes was system. In-house College appointed as the supervision and support is Clare’s 2011 Annual Fund achieved its Turpin-Lipstein Teaching vital to ensuring that best result yet, raising well over £270,000! Fellow in Law in 2009, funded students achieve their The generous donations given by by generous donations from potential. I meet with the alumni will help to provide alumni. Clare came top of the students each week for undergraduate bursaries and graduate Baxter Table for Law in 2011. supervisions and I provide student support, ensuring that the Kirsty writes “We are extra sessions for skills-based brightest and the best continue to study thrilled with the results of the feedback and revision. at Clare, regardless of personal finances or Clare lawyers this year. A Clare provides an excellent background. A huge ‘thank you’ to all our record-breaking 75% of our education and these kind donors, fantastic student callers and final year Clare law students students are now well-placed graduated with first class to make a major contribution tireless support staff! l Dr Kirsty Hughes For all Development and alumni honours and all Clare law to the legal profession, or enquiries, please contact the students were classed with either a First or elsewhere. They are an absolute pleasure to Development Office at Clare on an upper second. teach and I feel very fortunate indeed to be [email protected] or on 01223 One of the best things about working the Turpin-Lipstein Law Fellow at Clare”. 333218. at Clare is that I have the opportunity to To support these and other projects, teach students in a small-group supervision please contact the Development Office.
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UPDATES Dr Toby Wilkinson moves to International Office Dr Toby Wilkinson left Clare College in June after almost eight years distinguished service as Development l Professor Sir Kent Woods, Lt Col James Bryden, Robin Skelton and Stephen Wyatt Director and Fellow. Under his guidance and with the support of many alumni, the College has raised £15m in this period. Alumni milestones Alumni Days over the years have been enlivened with his expert and Professor Kent Woods (1966), Chief Encyclopaedia, amongst other things. much-admired talks on Ancient Egypt (his Executive of the Medicines and Healthcare Robin very much enjoys a good glass of latest prize-winning book was The Rise products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), has wine and reading, particularly history and and Fall of Ancient Egypt) as well as the been awarded a knighthood. He was also philosophy. College’s architecture. appointed Chairman of the Management Stephen Wyatt (1966) is enjoying an Toby has been responsible for Reunion Board of the European Medicines Agency annus mirabilis as a writer. He’s contributed Dinners, Family Day and the Benefactors’ in June. four dramatisations of Raymond Chandler’s Concert and Dinner being carefully Lt. Col James Bryden (MPhil 2004), Marlowe novels to Radio 4’s Complete moulded into an Events programme that who will command the 2nd Battalion, Chandler season, as well as two original is the envy of many Cambridge colleges. The Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards) plays about Chandler’s career as a He has worked successfully with the in 2013, has been awarded an MBE. He has screenwriter – Double Jeopardy (Chandler served in Helmand province and is currently and Billy Wilder) and Strangers on a Film based in Scotland. (Chandler and Hitchcock) – both with Robin Skelton (1930) celebrated his Patrick Stewart as Chandler. 100th birthday on 1 March 2011 with a In addition to his theatre and musical lunch at the London Rowing Club. He read work, he is taking up a post at the University Natural Sciences at Clare and went on to of Greenwich as Royal Literary Fund Writing work as assistant editor of Chamber’s Fellow. credit: Nick credit: Nick Tucker Photography credit: Alec Wight
l Dr Toby Wilkinson (left) and new Acting Head Rowan Kitt
Alumni Council to create a warm and mutually-supportive relationship with Clare’s former students. The campaigns to fund Lerner Court as well as Thirkill and Hepple Bursaries (to name but a few) were all organised Pictured above are (left) former Choral Scholars Ed Parkes (2003) and Laura Honey l expertly by Toby, who also found time (2002) who were married in London in May. Graham Ross (2003), Director of Music at share best practice with other colleges in Clare, conducted the choir, largely made up of former Clare singers. Several of the his role as Chairman of the Cambridge bridesmaids and ushers were also Clare alumni. Pictured right is James Wight (2001) Colleges Development Group. who married Emma Quigley in Clare Chapel in June. Clare News is searching for the Toby’s remains a Fellow of Clare and his first students, both at Clare, to have married and also the first couple to be married in new room in Old Schools, where he is Clare Chapel...if you know who they are, please email the Editor. now Head of the University’s International Office, looks directly on to the Old Court of Clare. Master and Acting Master Clare is indebted to Toby for his dedication and devotion to the future The Master, Professor Tony Badger has Cartledge has been appointed Acting of the College. been asked to oversee the government’s Master. Paul is Professor of Greek History Since Toby’s departure in June, release of files from former British colonies, and the A.G. Leventis Professor of Greek Rowan Kitt (Christ’s 1991) has been including documents about the Kenyan Culture for the University’s Faculty of Acting Head of Development. Mau Mau uprising. Classics. Rowan was previously Development In the 50th anniversary year of President He has been a Fellow of Clare College Director at North London Collegiate Kennedy’s inauguration, Professor Badger since 1981 and his latest book is Ancient School and taught History there as well appeared on BBC 2’s The Culture Show in Greece: A History in Eleven Cities. as at other secondary schools. He was a June to discuss the myths and realities of In June, Professor Cartledge appeared chorister at Worcester Cathedral and is an the Kennedy family’s political dominance. on BBC Radio 3’s The Essay, discussing the RFU rugby referee. He is married with a The Master will be on sabbatical for creation of the first international and baby daughter Emily. the Lent Term 2012 and Professor Paul cross-boundary standards for money.
Autumn / Winter 2011 www.clarealumni.com 7 CLARE NEWS I Sporting glory
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l Brian Pope executes a classical dive-pass at Twickenham
l Clare’s sporting SPORTING GLORY Blues at the Master’s dinner, Easter Term The Blue tradition
n the summer, the Master hosted Clare’s It is clear that some of Clare’s past sporting I current Blues, half-Blues and University glories are being mirrored by students of today. “colours” to dinner in the Lodge to celebrate In the timeless words of Sir Eric Ashby “…let me their achievements. defend the undergraduates now up at Clare: In the last couple of years, the College has their good old days will measure up to yours”. provided the University with the captains of In this edition, Clare News focuses on some Men’s Cricket, Hockey, Boxing, Athletics, and winter sports, including the exploits of rugby Ladies’ Water Polo, as well as a Rowing Blue, international Brian Pope who died in August several Goldie, Blondie and Lightweights aged 100 (pictured on the front cover and rowers, a Golf Blue and two Rugby Blues, to above). Some summer sports will be featured in mention but a few. the first edition of 2012.
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HOCKEY RUGBY Rugby and golfing legend Hockey captain’s Brian Pope (1929) died in August this year having turned 100 just a few weeks earlier. He had been room with a view England’s oldest living rugby It wasn’t necessarily winning hockey (whilst studying international. For his birthday, three hockey Blues nor hard) came from both the the Master sent congratulations ending up with a First in Master and his Director of from the College and two CDs History that David Bell Studies, Dr Andrew Preston. of Clare Choir recordings. (2008), the University Men’s Although busy training at Clare News visited Brian at his l Brian Pope in 1929 and in Hockey captain, looks back least three times a week and home in Sandwich, Kent, just May 2011 on with most pleasure captaining the team in before his centenary landmark. during his time at Clare. matches in the Men’s East the great Tom Watson also hit a It was, instead, having Premier League, Dave Brian arrived at Clare with the hole-in-one at the Maiden. one of the best student enjoyed being part of a reputation of being an outstanding After Cambridge, Brian worked rooms (F7) in Old Court, “very close-knit year group” schoolboy sportsman who had for Lloyd’s Insurance, served in the looking out across the in College. captained the rugby, cricket RAF during World War II and played Backs, during his final year. David will now take up a and hockey teams in his final year rugby for Blackheath. The former England U16 place on the Finance at Uppingham. He proceeded to As England’s most senior former and U18 England midfielder Graduate Scheme at Tesco, win three caps for England as a player, Brian was sent two tickets found Clare to be a place and hopes to play hockey freshman in 1930 at scrum half for every England game and had a where support and for Southgate in the Premier before winning his Blue in 1932. special seat reserved for him at encouragement to play Division. “Look out for the smallest person Twickenham. At a 100th birthday – that’ll be me” he said, as we party hosted in his honour by looked through his treasured Royal St George’s, the world’s photo collection. number one golfer, Luke Donald, Clare man’s Olympic But Brian might have had a posed with him for photos. greater claim to sporting fame Time had dimmed Brian’s than his rugby exploits: an avid memory of his Cambridge days, golfer, he hit two “aces” during his but he could recall his rooms playing career, the latter at the age downstairs near the Chapel in Old of 92. And it was not just any hole, Court. When reminded that he had but the notoriously difficult read History as an undergraduate, “Maiden” at Royal St George’s, it provoked a flash of clarity and a Sandwich, where Brian was mischievous look: “Read?” he said Captain and President. In the Open quizzically…“I’m not sure I read Championship held there in July, anything!”
The luck of the Irish...
Scott Annett (2004) describes himself ruefully as the “lucky l eprechaun”. Goal scoring A Clare undergraduate and now PhD student from Belfast, he is hoping to win his final Varsity machine Match next month, having lost all eight previous appearances Candy Elson (née Taylor mental health. l Scott Annett against Oxford (a combination of 1979) was the star She teaches at San Diego U21s, LXs Club games and one back” after so many attempts. centre-forward and leading State University in the Blue). Clare College rugby is “vibrant, goal scorer for the Blues School of Social Work and Scott is a second row forward enthusiastic and lethal” Scott says, hockey team for three years is the director of field who, whilst at grammar school, with a big turnout for trials. whilst at Clare. education. “never won the Ulster Schools Cup Clare hopes to break away from She also won a half-Blue With a paucity of hockey either”. combining with King’s and Corpus for sprinting but cannot on the West Coast, Candy He had two years off from Christi players in the near future. remember doing so! is now a “good enough” University rugby “in order to get a “Beating Oxford will mean After graduating Candy golfer and enjoys cycling, degree” and received a First. He everything. Although the moved to San Diego where roller-blading and described winning his Blue in 2010 University is an amateur club, she is a licensed clinical walking “like a true as getting “the monkey off my it’s all about winning”. social worker, specialising in Southern Californian”.
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l David Bell (centre, front row) Blues Hockey captain 2010-11
match Henry Maitland (1952) is against the Great Britain He remembers being probably unique among Olympic squad in their interviewed by Henry Clare sportsmen as trial game before the Thirkill (“a terrifying he had the distinction of Melbourne Games in experience”) and, playing in the unbeaten 1956. although the Master Blues team which was Winning a solitary Blue didn’t seem to know much then chosen to play in his fourth year, Henry about hockey, “Thirks l Henry Maitland: then played for the Scotland XI barely mentioned and now – he is pictured whilst still at Cambridge anything else”. centre in the combined until 1965, winning 35 Henry taught and Olympic and Cambridge caps, and captaining his coached at Felsted School photo country in 1964. in Essex for over 30 years.
l Candy Elson: then and now. Candy is pictured in 1980 seated far right; seated second left is Clare’s Ruth Brown (née Honey)
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ROWING “When you hit the third stroke, that’s when The College’s first Blue oarsman since 1984 is Joel Jennings There was another Clare man, Ben Evans, and an Australian (2005), who learned to row at Clare as an undergraduate. international oarsmen competing with Joel for the same The intensity of competition for seats in the Boat and the place. “I was taken aside and told that I’d made it. Masses of agony of losing to the “other place” are described in this relief, then happiness.” interview for Clare News. The big occasion on the Thames was a surreal experience. “On the day, it only really hit me when we took the Boat out Embarrassment was Joel’s main sentiment whilst sitting in and I heard my name being announced on national television. the Blue Boat under Chiswick Bridge having just lost to Oxford That was pretty cool! in the 157th Boat Race in April. “I felt I’d let friends and the “When you hit the third stroke, that’s when you really know University down. My lungs were burning but it didn’t seem to you’re in the Race.” Cambridge went well to begin with but be the hardest I had ever rowed. I went to the Blues Dinner when Oxford began to push, Joel shouted a warning to the that night in the Royal Overseas League Club in St James in a cox from No.2 in the Boat. But the Dark Blues forged ahead. pretty bad mood.” “They were a faster crew and raced it more aggressively; we The following morning, Joel decided he wanted to win in were too passive and were under pressure right from the start the Blue boat and determined to train harder than ever over and just couldn’t deliver the pace we needed,” says Joel. the summer, hit his straps in the first week of rowing training Nigel Woodcock, the CBC President, said: “The club is really and to avoid the awful, sinking feeling of losing in the future. proud of all the Clare students who have made the University Joel’s journey to that point of realisation has certainly been boats this year. But Joel gaining his place in the Blue boat was something of an odyssey: he was the first pupil from his special, particularly as he learned to row at Clare.” school in Derbyshire (encouraged by his Fitzwilliam-educated Joel comments: “The Boat Club has always been very teacher) to come to Clare. He’d started rowing for his Duke of supportive and the coaches have been good. The boatmen, Edinburgh Award and because he thought it would help him Ian Dryden, Nick Acock and Anton Wright have been great.” to get to Cambridge. “It wasn’t the case!” he reflects. Joel might run for President of the University Boat Club in Arriving at the Clare Boat Club, he looked big and athletic so 2013. In the meantime, it’s a return to the regime of weights, went straight into first boat, with the Boatman (Ian Dryden) at rowing machines and the daily minibus journey to Ely to row the time saying he was a “future superstar”. In fact he wasn’t on the Ouse. quite sure what he was doing and “had never been on a It will all be worth it if Joel stands on the winning podium rowing machine”. He progressed to be Boat Club captain and on the Thames. then decided to trial for the University where, as a raw but fast rower, he was “shown no favours” and was only a “spare” for Goldie. The following year he stroked Goldie to victory over Isis, one of his proudest achievements to date and the only time he has won a race on the Thames course. Having done two further academic courses, Joel then decided to study for a PhD at Clare starting in 2010. He helped to defeat a top university crew in New Zealand and then he performed better in the seat-racing in November and the pairs matrix in Spain, a near-guarantee of a place in the Blue Boat.
Cummerbund memory The son of the Knight’s quest for a Blue Boat late Max Jones Clare’s last Blue oarsman before been in crisis and it was a year of (1927-2010 2011 was Alan Knight (1981), big changes; there were four and Clare who raced three times against undergraduate freshmen in the 1945) found Oxford. Boat in my first year. I was his father’s He chose Clare for its persuaded to join a week’s Blues reputation as the top Natural training camp before term cummerbund Sciences college rather than its started and even missed the and bow tie rowing (he later changed to Matriculation Dinner because among his Geography). of a session.” possessions Joel Jennings and Max Jones It was only a phone call from a However, Alan suffered the last year. He l rather desperate President of the agony of losing all three of his kindly sent them to Clare College to be given to a deserving University Boat Club that roped Boat Races. Moreover, he was part Blue. They were presented to Joel Jennings at the inaugural him into serious rowing. Alan of the famous crew that hit a Master’s Dinner for College Blues in April. Max Jones won an said: “Cambridge rowing had barge just before the start of his Athletics Blue and was a member of the Hawks Club.
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you really know you’re in the Race”
l Joel Jennings (centre) in action victory ruined by a barge last Race resulting in the Blues having Bushell (1981), his future wife and the to borrow and re-rig the Goldie boat mother of his four children. for the postponed contest 24 hours Although he had rowed at the later. World U23 Championships, he was “After the first loss, I felt completely “rowed out” and gradually took up shattered; after the second defeat, I felt other pursuits. Now an IT consultant in ‘no, not again’; after hitting the barge, I Exeter, he runs, cycles and climbs to had the feeling of ‘if only’.” keep fit. He subbed into the Lent Bumps crew If you have sporting stories from but otherwise never rowed for the your time at Clare, please do college, continuing in university crews send them to the Editor. If you would through the summers. like to support Clare sport, please He left Clare having shared a set of contact [email protected] rooms in Old Court with Philippa or 01223 333218 l Alan Knight: then and now
Autumn / Winter 2011 www.clarealumni.com 13 CLARE NEWS UPDATES Clare’s music making in good hands Graham Ross (2003) took over from the long-serving Timothy Brown as Director of Music in October 2010. l Dr Patricia Fara and Neil Andrews Clare News caught up with the former Clare Choral Scholar Recognition for Fellows to find out how his first year has gone…. Dr Patricia Fara (History & Philosophy of Having studied further at the Royal crammed into such a small and intensely Science) has been awarded the Dingle College of Music and launched your focussed environment. One takes some Prize by British Society for the History of f reelance conducting and composing inspiration from these choirs and their Science for her book Science: A Four career, what attracted you to the post directors. Thousand Year History. The Prize is at Clare? I am a great believer in offering as many awarded to “the best book in the history There is something special about Clare external opportunities to the musicians at of science published... which is accessible and its music, and having experienced it Clare as possible, and so they frequently to a wide audience of non-specialists”. first-hand as an undergraduate the work with leading professionals in their Neil Andrews (Director of Studies opportunity to try and contribute field, in particular with guest conductors, in Law) has been promoted to a something back was a great attraction. who I hope serve as a source of inspiration professorship in the Faculty of Law. His Unlike my freelance work, where you to them. Giles Swayne, the College’s recent publications include: Contract Law often work intensely over relatively short Composer-in-Residence, was a large and The Three Paths of Justice: Court periods of time, the opportunity to work influence on me compositionally, and he proceedings, Mediation and Arbitration. regularly with a core group of dedicated continues to be a great support both Professor individuals also allows you to go on a much personally and to the College. Andrew Balmford longer musical journey. (Conservation What new paths have you followed? Science) has been How did your first Choir rehearsal and I established the Friends of Clare Music elected to Chapel service go? scheme to support both instrumental and Fellowship of the Being a conductor can be an odd thing: choral music-making in the College, Royal Society. His it can so easily be seen (sadly too often) as appointed our first Choir Lay Clerk for research centres on an egotistical activity, standing up in front 2011-12 (The Timothy & Christina Benn Lay conservation of respected musicians and leading them Clerkship), and set up a new relationship planning. l Professor through music through your own with the Harmonia Mundi recording label. The winners of Andrew Balmford interpretation. The Choir is now represented by an artist this year’s Junior But it is also a huge privilege to be able to management agency, and we are Research Fellowship competition are: Ms conduct, and for it to work best you have to establishing a new standalone website for Charlotte Roberts (English), Mr William show respect both to the music and to your the Choir, kindly sponsored by an alumnus. Cavert (History), Mr Charles Melnyk colleagues, working together very much as I have also been working on plans for (Molecular Biology). a collaboration. many future projects, including a major tour And so my first rehearsal with the Choir of Australia with the Australian Chamber New catering manager was the very beginning of that process and Orchestra for the summer of 2012. the start of a long journey. Clare welcomed Lee My first Evensong was a great traditional What is your vision for Clare music? Corke as the new service, featuring Tippett’s Steal Away, I’d like to continue the tradition built up Catering Manager in Stanford’s Canticles in C and Harris’s Faire is by my predecessors of striving for musical January, replacing the Heaven. excellence, both in College with new Riccardo Chieppa. Lee masterclasses and commissions, and spent 22 years catering What were your aims for the first year? externally through arranging professional in the RAF and was As an undergraduate I had learned a great engagements for the students. named Armed Forces deal from my predecessor, Tim Brown, who Earlier this year the Choir performed Caterer of the Year in l Lee Corke gave such dedication to the College and with the London Philharmonic Orchestra 2006. Lee says “the job started his post before I was even born. and Edward Gardner in Elgar’s The Dream here at Clare is far more diverse as My initial aim was to try to at least of Gerontius, and the forthcoming year we cater for students, Fellows, staff, maintain the very high standards that he includes collaborations for Clare musicians conferences, weddings and private had achieved, whilst establishing new paths with Sir Mark Elder, Philharmonia Orchestra, functions. I have enjoyed the challenges for music in the College. the Schubert Ensemble and the Australian presented to me and College is a very Chamber Orchestra to name a few. friendly and vibrant place to work in, not What are your musical inspirations? to mention the fantastic architecture”. Cambridge is in itself inspirational for Is the future of music at Clare assured? having some of this country’s finest choirs The Friends of Clare Music scheme has been
14 www.clarealumni.com Autumn / Winter 2011 CLARE NEWS
l Clare’s Director of Music Graham Ross
very important in helping support the huge pool of talent around College. With generous financial donations to Musical first at this, the Music Endowment and through Indiana Church supportive benefactors generally, we can ensure that we provide the best Simon Jacobs (2006) has been musical opportunities for future appointed the first Fellow in generations of Clare students. Sacred Music at Christ Church As a Clare man ‘born and bred’ I have Cathedral in Indiana, USA. seen directly the opportunities that the Simon was an organ scholar College can offer today’s students at the at Clare, accompanying the start of their professional lives. Choir on international tours, We certainly can’t rest on our laurels, two BBC Broadcasts, several however. The impact of the tuition fee recordings and as part of rise on music at Clare is yet to be seen, international music festivals. and I am sure that the next few years Previously, he was Associate will not be easy. Director of Music at Christ That said, it’s a new chapter for Clare, Church in Greenwich, both for music-making and for me, and Connecticut. I’m very excited about the years ahead.
Autumn / Winter 2011 www.clarealumni.com 15 EDITION 28 CLARE ALUMNI EVENTS FORTHCOMING EVENTS
Reunion dinners for each All events will take place at Clare, unless stated year group take place once every ten years in the 2011 Great Hall. From 2011, Saturday 29 October alumni will also be invited Alumni Dinner for those who matriculated in to return to College once 1962, 1963, 1964 and 1965, 7pm every five years for Wednesday 14 December ‘Alumni Dinners’. Alumni Council and Dinner, 6pm
2012 Friday 13 January Benefactors’ Concert and Dinner, 6pm By invitation only Samuel Blythe Luncheon Thursday 26 January in May The annual Lunch London Drinks 6.30pm in the Great Hall with the Venue to be confirmed Master for all those who are remembering the Thursday 9 February College in their will. London Dinner at the House of Lords, 7pm Samuel Blythe was Master Guest speaker: Peter Wright (1971), Editor of from 1678-1713. the Mail on Sunday
Saturday 18 February Parents’ Day (Family and Friends Programme)
Saturday 25 February London drinks in January, Alumni Dinner for those who matriculated in 1972, 1973, 1974 and 1975, 7pm May and September Open to all alumni for a Friday 23 March relaxed catch-up in a Reunion Dinner for those who matriculated in central London location. 1978 and 1979, 7pm
Saturday 24 March MA Congregation and lunch for eligible alumni who matriculated in 2005. (Please contact Tutorial Office for details: Jenny Colling [email protected])
For further information please contact the Family Day in June or July Development Office on +44 (0)1223 333218 or Open to all alumni to [email protected] bring generations of their families to the College Have a look at the Clare News archive and read www.clarealumni.com/clarenews. grounds for picnics and this online at entertainment. CONTACT US Clare News very much welcomes news, information and views from alumni
The Editor, Clare News, Clare College, Trinity Lane, Alumni Day in June or July Cambridge, CB2 1TL Open to all alumni, parents of current t. +44 (0)1223 333218 students, Fellows, staff e. [email protected]. ac.uk and their guests for w. www.clarealumni.com l ectures, lunch and tours. www.facebook.com/clarealumni www.twitter.com/clarealumni
Editor: Rowan Kitt Design: John Dilley Production: Celia Hipkin-Chastagnol
16 www.clarealumni.com