A Choral Scholar's Story
Alice Hilder Jarvis is in her second year, studying Maths & Philosophy. She’s also a Choral Scholar, so music is very much part of her college life. She was a chorister at St Albans Cathedral from the ages of 8 to 13; when it came to university applications, she chose Merton not only because of the choral scholarships, but also because "the Maths Fellows seemed so exciting".
All her expectations have been exceeded. "Chorally, it’s way better than I dreamt it could be. Socially, I’ve met a fantastic variety of interesting and fun people. Academically, it’s blown me away!"
It’s very exciting to engage with all this new music
The Choral Scholarship involves singing Evensong three times a week, as well as other special services throughout the year. "One of my favourite parts of singing with Merton Choir is recording. Last summer, we recorded a beautiful new piece by Nico Muhly." In fact, Ben Nicholas, Director of Music, regularly commissions pieces for the choir. "It’s very exciting to be able to engage with all this new music."
Having a Choral Scholarship is challenging, time-wise. However, Alice says that it makes her more efficient at her other commitments; besides her studies, she also does rock climbing and plays the cello in the Oxford University Orchestra.
"Being a Choral Scholar has enabled me to return to the choral discipline that I was introduced to at the cathedral. I’ve been on tour to Hong Kong and Singapore, I’ve recorded CDs. The Choral Scholarship has opened up all these opportunities. It’s made the whole Merton experience that much richer."
- This article appears in With Our Thanks, Merton's annual Donor Report
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