Epiphany Singing Retreat

Welcome to a kingly feast of music!

Join us for a cosy, candle-lit weekend singing course of stimulating choral training and music indulgence! The choral repertoire for Epiphany is almost as rich as for Christmas, and produced some of the most ground-breaking music of all time.

Following the success of last year’s Epiphany Singing Retreat, we return to the historic Sidney Sussex College, with its rich musical history. The Chapel that stood on this site in pre-Reformation times saw a number of early English composers take their degrees, including Robert Fayrfax (MusB, 1501; DMus 1504) and Christopher Tye (MusB, 1536). Later, the great Elizabethan composer William Byrd would have been well-known to the foundress, Lady Frances Sidney, and two very fine elegies by Byrd survive for her nephew, the poet and courtier Sir Philip Sidney. Alongside services in historic chapels and a feast of repertoire for Epiphany, we’ll also be wassailing, trying King Cake and merry-making at our Twelfth Night Dinner.  

Delights in store include candle-lit Compline in Sidney Sussex College Chapel (you can experience the gorgeous chapel in virtual reality here!), Evensongs in two other colleges and a 3-course Twelfth Night formal dinner. You will develop your voice and choral skills with daily voice training and vocal health sessions, and enjoy warm camaraderie with a friendly group of people who share your passion for choral music. 

Our Singing Retreats are designed to immerse you in the rich choral life of Cambridge, with accommodation in one of its historic colleges, and opportunities to sing in college chapels under the direction of celebrated Cambridge choir directors. Alongside the choral workshops, you’ll enjoy complementary cultural and educational talks, as well as meeting like-minded new friends.  

Experience this extraordinary world from the inside:

• Ensuite accommodation in beautiful Sidney Sussex College (please bear in mind this is an academic setting rather than a hotel)
• Sing in iconic Cambridge college chapels, each with a different acoustic, feel and organ
• Evensong and Compline under leading Cambridge choral directors including Dr Edward Wickham (St Catharine’s College) 
• Vocal health sessions to develop and sustain your voice
• Welcome drinks reception where you will have the opportunity to meet the other participants and the weekend tutors and staff
• Saturday night formal Twelfth Night dinner with fine wines from the college cellar
• Complementary cultural and educational talks with academic specialists to give context and insights
• Time out to explore Cambridge

FEES: £795 full board, £570 non-residential

BRING A FRIEND DISCOUNT: SAVE £50 EACH!*

Student Scholars: we’re pleased to offer a limited number of Student Scholarships at reduced fees for singers aged 18-25yrs*. To apply, please email hello@cambridgechoral.com.

Full course fee includes full board for 2 nights, all tuition, welcome reception, music hire, 3-course formal dinner with private dining and other activities.  All rooms are single occupancy and ensuite with tea and coffee making facilities. Bedding and towels are provided.

We have a limited number of twin rooms so if you’d like to bring a partner along, there’s lots for them to do in Cambridge while you’re singing. They are welcome to join us for meals and social activities and attend evensongs and concerts. Non-singing guest fees on request.

* Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer. To qualify for our “bring a friend” offer, your friend must be new to CCA.

Applications

If you’re an experienced choral singer with good note-reading ability, this is the course for you! We seek to create a balanced chamber choir, with places capped at 30-40 places depending on the college. 

Please note: all CCA courses involve walking between colleges to experience different college chapels. Due to the age of this historic city, there are cobbles and steps to navigate, which may be difficult for those with mobility issues.

FAQs – please click to find answers to questions, or don’t hesitate to email our friendly team: hello@cambridgechoral.com.