Festival Itinerary
Please note that this itinerary is subject to change.
Monday 10th - Saturday 15th August 2026
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10th August
The Festival begins! Attendees who have booked accommodation will be able to check into their rooms from 3pm.
At 4pm, all attendees will gather together for the welcome, introductory talk and our first general rehearsal. Non-singers will be offered a guided tour of the city while the singers rehearse.
After rehearsal, attendees will be escorted back to their Colleges for formal dinner in the Dining Hall. The evening will close with a candlelit service of Vespers sung by Cambridge Schola in a College chapel. Finally, there will be an optional (but very traditional) trip to ‘The Eagle’, a classic English pub (in which, in 1953, Crick and Watson famously announced that they had discovered DNA).
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11th August
For the early risers, Tuesday begins with an optional service of Matins sung by Cambridge Schola. After breakfast, we have our second general rehearsal, while the non-singers explore Cambridge’s famous museums and coffee shops. After rehearsal, singers will enjoy a warm down and presentation by leading music physiotherapist, Sarah Upjohn. Throughout the day, singing attendees will each receive a complimentary one-to-one singing lesson.
After lunch, our lovely singing teachers will perform a showcase concert for us. There will also be an organ recital on a historic Cambridge instrument, and a workshop for the Festival Choir with Chief Conductor of the BBC Singers, Owain Park. Tuesday will also include a unique Owl Flying Experience in a beautiful College chapel.
The day will end with a concert by world-renowned ensemble The Gesualdo Six in the chapel of Trinity College, founded by King Henry VIII.
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12th August
Wednesday begins with an early morning service of Lauds, in the glorious chapel of Emmanuel College, designed by Sir Christopher Wren (who also designed St Paul’s Cathedral, London). After breakfast, attendees will break into smaller groups for rehearsal, and every choir group will give a short, informal performance in an ancient Cambridge church.
After lunch, we will be treated to a recital of Bach suites for Violin and Cello, before boarding the coach to take us to Peterborough Cathedral for Evensong. After Evensong, we hope that the skies will be clear clear so that we can step outside to observe a rare natural phenomenon - a solar eclipse!
Wednesday evening offers a special privilege - a five course dinner with Guest of Honour Sir John Rutter. Alternatively, there will be another Instrumental Recital and a candlelit service of Compline sung by Cambridge Schola.
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13th August
Thursday’s early morning service is Prime in another historic chapel setting. After breakfasts, attendees will split into groups for guided tours around the city. After the tour, there will be the option of punting on the River Cam with professional guides, or observing a vocal masterclass with Professor Alex Ashworth of the Royal Academy of Music.
After lunch, there will be two talks on offer: The History of English Choral Music with a respected Oxbridge Music Professor, or Jane Austen and Music by Sarah Houghton-Walker (Professor of English at the University of Cambridge). These talks will be followed by a Q&A with eminent musicians, including Sir John Rutter and Christopher Robinson.
The King’s Men will perform a delightful afternoon concert for us with a wide range of classical and popular repertoire. We will then enjoy a delicious buffet dinner in the College gardens (or inside, if it rains!).
Thursday will end with another candlelit choral performance, this one by Vox Cantab, an elite ensemble of Cambridge graduates led by Louisa Denby.
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14th August
After breakfast, and a service of Terce sung by Cambridge Schola, attendees will have the option of punting on the River Cam or a walk to Grantchester Meadows, where tea and cake are served in the famous Orchard Tea Rooms.
The rest of the day will be taken up with the Gala Concert. After lunch, attendees will be transported by coach to the beautiful and quaint English town of Saffron Waldon for rehearsal, while the non-singers are offered a guided tour of the town. After rehearsal there will be plenty of time to explore the town and find dinner, before the final concert performance of the Festival: a programme of choral masterpieces including Gabriel Fauré’s exquisite Requiem and Vaughan Williams’ Five Mystical Songs with professional soloists and orchestra.
Finally, we will return to Cambridge by coach for a much needed night of rest!
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15th August
After a packed schedule of singing, exploring and making memories, our final Festival day is a quiet one. Attendees can enjoy breakfast in College at their leisure, before we gather for a final farewell and sing in Emmanuel College chapel. This will be an emotional goodbye for all of us, but there will be a selection of souvenirs and memorabilia available for purchase.
Attendees staying in College accommodation will need to check out by 10am.
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