On our first full day in Cambridge, Garnet Singers started the morning with one of the most traditional Cantabrigian (great word!) activities: punting. The River Cam meanders through town and next to a large handful of the several dozen individual colleges making up the University of Cambridge, so a leisurely boat ride can be a great way to do some sightseeing.
Punting on the River Cam! (photos by Lilly and Nathan) [Two boats carrying several Garnet Singers each, floating along a small river with buildings and trees in the background]
King’s College, Cambridge (with duck) from the River Cam (photo by Nathan) [Two large Cambridge buildings and a tall chapel building in the center background, with a view of a large field and the river—and a duck—in the foreground]
Garnet Singers by the river (look closely to see chaperones on a boat!) (photo by Nii) [A group of students standing along a walkway by the River Cam, with boats and buildings in the background]
From Cambridge, it’s about 20 minutes on the train up to Ely, a town that was once completely surrounded by marshes. Garnet Singers would visit Ely on two separate days for a unique opportunity to sing twice at Ely Cathedral.
Ely Cathedral on its own (L) and with Garnet Singers (R) (photos by Nathan and Pat) [A photo of Ely Cathedral in the distance, behind a large, open field with tall grass and trees; a similar photo of Ely Cathedral but with four people smiling in front with their hands on their faces]
The earliest parts of Ely Cathedral date to the 7th(!) century, and the building was famously constructed using stones that residents bartered for using (what else?) the eels that lived in the surrounding marshes. It’s difficult to describe the grandeur and scale of the Cathedral, although, for context, Garnet Singers had heard from members of Selwyn College Choir that the space we would sing in was about eight times larger than the Selwyn Chapel.
Views from inside Ely Cathedral (photos by Hsiao-Han, Nathan, and Pat) [A student sitting in a small alcove in a side chapel; detailed stonework with traces of centuries-old paint remaining; a view of the center octagon, looking up at the ceiling; Garnet Singers entering the Cathedral and looking all the way down the length of the building]
We began with a wonderful tour of the space, learning all about the history of Ely Cathedral and the surrounding town. The group then prepared for a characteristically brief rehearsal before our first singing opportunity in this gorgeous space.
The first of our visits to Ely was to sing Evensong. Fortunately, the group could repeat a large portion of the music from the previous day’s service at Selwyn. On the other hand, we would now be in a significantly larger space and, most importantly, on our own.
Garnet Singers standing in the pews in Ely Cathedral during rehearsal (photos by Hsiao-Han) [Singers standing in two rows each on either side of a central aisle, surrounding by elaborate wood carvings]
Though the material for the service had to come together quickly, all went smoothly, and it was a special treat to be able to contribute to the musical life of a space that was both so beautiful and so incredibly storied.
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