Master of St John’s disbands SJV

[Vox Humana]

The long-standing problem has been that our governments have not seen classical music education as at all important—there is little political mileage in it. If our government ministers have such little regard for investing in musical education and opportunities, is it any wonder if the same attitude filters down to the governing bodies of university colleges?

No punches pulled here. I note that the master is a former civil servant at ministerial level. Funnily enough, I had guessed as much all along, but was too lazy to check. As I said, we have a government that regards the arts as dispensable (as evidenced by the lack of commitment). Is it any wonder that those whose job it is to fawn in the same echelons absorb the same mindset?

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/death-of-a-choir/?fbclid=IwAR2aW1U7qC3RjPvr6jMquymQE7Nx_YTSWrNOXvlM yr62TU73mVidWomi_HA_aem_ASNRoNuxVOaXUQE74QSkVdbPnO IyFp2vmB507XoJfS8JBYqLSVXTaYrBzUY7GMD1e5s9I_IjcLDK Wcy2OAafzIL9

[french frank]

No punches pulled here. I note that the master is a former civil servant at ministerial level. Funnily enough, I had guessed as much all along, but was too lazy to check. As I said, we have a government that regards the arts as dispensable (as evidenced by the lack of commitment). Is it any wonder that those whose job it is to fawn in the same echelons absorb the same mindset?

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/death-of-a-choir/

"... symptomatic of the casual ‘drop bombshell and retreat behind your comms team’ methods of today’s managerial class, who can’t bear to keep institutions as they find them but feel an urge to leave their mark, often woefully ignorant of exactly what it is that they’re destroying."

[Cockney Sparrow]

Having witnessed this, managers - the enablers at lower levels - come in equipped with training course modules "Managing Change". Well primed to seek those who are less than submissive to whatever they are implementing and ready to "deal" with them. Almost as if they had to find at least one target to do over to demonstrate their spurs (for annual appraisal - "Managing change" - tick.)

In my part of the organisation, the head mentored his managers to use re-structuring to make troublesome or resistant "team" members surplus (and being the civil service that meant being put in a pool of those looking for posts .....anywhere.

[Kingfisher]

And the Home Office was a byword for toxic management and ineffectiveness.

[Ein Heldenleben]

No punches pulled here. I note that the master is a former civil servant at ministerial level. Funnily enough, I had guessed as much all along, but was too lazy to check. As I said, we have a government that regards the arts as dispensable (as evidenced by the lack of commitment). Is it any wonder that those whose job it is to fawn in the same echelons absorb the same mindset?

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/death-of-a-choir/?fbclid=IwAR2aW1U7qC3RjPvr6jMquymQE7Nx_YTSWrNOXvlM yr62TU73mVidWomi_HA_aem_ASNRoNuxVOaXUQE74QSkVdbPnO IyFp2vmB507XoJfS8JBYqLSVXTaYrBzUY7GMD1e5s9I_IjcLDK Wcy2OAafzIL9

Can any Cantabrigians confirm that Land Economy - the degree secured by the grouse moor* - owning Master of St Johns - is often , though not exclusively, taken by the offspring of landed gentry and is not unduly taxing intellectually?

The equivalent at Oxford was Agriculture and Forestry done by a very good friend of mine who had a special interest in consuming through smoking various green substances.

PS if you ever hear the term Deloitte Consultant head for the hills . If it’s McKinsey go sick for six months….

* owns a grouse moor and bangs on about diversity..you couldn’t make it up.

[Kingfisher]

It used to be a degree taken by talented Rugby and Cricket players - Marcus Rose, Rob Andrew (at St John’s), Gavin Hastings, Derek Pringle were examples. The rugby players did often progress to good jobs with well known firms of surveyors and Pringle was a very engaging journalist after he retired from playing.

[Ein Heldenleben]

It used to be a degree taken by talented Rugby and Cricket players - Marcus Rose, Rob Andrew (at St John’s), Gavin Hastings, Derek Pringle were examples. The rugby players did often progress to good jobs with well known firms of surveyors and Pringle was a very engaging journalist after he retired from playing.

well all those have achieved a lot more in their lives than sacking musicians. They have brought pleasure to millions..

[Vox Humana]

* owns a grouse moor and bangs on about diversity..you couldn’t make it up.

Yoiu get used to killing things off though.

[Kingfisher]

The Petition now has over 12,000 signatures despite the College’s attempt to limit the damage by seizing the Choir’s social media.

Good luck to the new Dean, Vicky Johnson, as she fields this hospital pass……

[Nick Armstrong]

The Petition now has over 12,000 signatures despite the College’s attempt to limit the damage by seizing the Choir’s social media.

An update this evening via Change.org:

[cat]

Some good news: they appear to have refounded as the Cambridge University Schola Cantorum under Graham Walker, singing in various college chapels on Mondays.

On the topic of the main SJC choir - they seem extraordinarily low on trebles this term, only 12 in their annual choir photo on Facebook and the same number in a recent service I attended. When the choir went mixed we were promised an increase from 20 to 25. Hopefully there's an explanation such as a new regime of keeping the probationers away or something, rather than a serious recruitment problem.

[cjsb]

Some good news: they appear to have refounded as the Cambridge University Schola Cantorum under Graham Walker, singing in various college chapels on Mondays.

On the topic of the main SJC choir - they seem extraordinarily low on trebles this term, only 12 in their annual choir photo on Facebook and the same number in a recent service I attended. When the choir went mixed we were promised an increase from 20 to 25. Hopefully there's an explanation such as a new regime of keeping the probationers away or something, rather than a serious recruitment problem.

This certainly is good news - and the decision earlier this year to disband SJV was deplorable. Sadly I haven't yet managed to hear CUSC so far this term but their website details a Christmas concert next month with further events next year.
I agree that SJCC seems low on front row numbers this term - have heard them twice in past weeks and there were 11 choristers for a recent Durufle Requiem. Wonderful singing, but I did feel at times that a few more in the front row would have been beneficial. As cat says, hopefully there is not a serious recruitment problem.