Every year on Ascension Day, the Choir ascends the 163ft Chapel Tower and sings the Ascension Day Carol while members of College gather in First Court to listen to the music.

This custom dates from 1902 and was begun by the then Director of Music, Cyril Rootham, following a conversation with Sir Joseph Larmor. Sir Joseph was insistent that a choir singing from the tower would not be heard from the ground. Rootham was keen to prove him wrong and saw Ascension Day as the perfect time to do it.

Without telling anyone in College, the Choir ascended the tower and as the clock finished striking noon, they started to sing an Ascension Day Carol. To Rootham's delight, he saw Sir Joseph open his window in the court below to see where the music was coming from. The event proved popular and since then it has been repeated every year.

Ascension Day is on Thursday 9 May and everyone is invited to gather in First Court at 12pm. 

College news

Face of 75,000-year-old Neanderthal woman revealed

Cambridge scientists have produced a remarkable reconstruction of what a Neanderthal woman would have looked like when she was alive.

The skull on which the model is based was found in Shanidar Cave in Iraqi Kurdistan by archaeologists led by Professor Graeme Barker, Emeritus Disney Professor of Archaeology and a Fellow of St John’s College. The model appears in the new BBC Studios documentary for Netflix, Secrets of the Neanderthals.

Full news story

‘Birdgirl’ among Sunday Times’s 25 most inspiring young people

Third-year St John’s undergraduate Mya-Rose Craig features on the Sunday Times’s first Young Power List celebrating the hard work and ingenuity of inspiring people aged 30 and under.

The 21-year-old Human, Social and Political Sciences student, ornithologist and author of the best-selling memoir, Birdgirl, has been recognised for turning her birdwatching passion into environmental and diversity campaigning.

She tells the national paper that, as a young British-Bangladeshi girl, “the older I got, the more I was aware I never saw anyone who looked like me in these spaces”.

Her charity Black2Nature, which she founded aged 15 to help black and Asian children from inner cities into green spaces, is supported by National Geographic. Next year Mya-Rose is travelling to the Sylhet District of Bangladesh to present a film for Oxfam about how flooding caused by climate change has devastated her family’s hometown. 

Full story (subscription may be required)

Memorial webinar to celebrate legacy of fantasy writer Louis Cha

A free online memorial seminar is being held this month to mark 100 years since the birth of St John’s alumnus Louis Cha, known for his kung fu fantasy books under the pen name, Jin Yong.

Cha was one of the oldest students ever to do a PhD at St John’s when he began his research in 2005, aged 81. He was made an Honorary Fellow in 2010 and died in 2018 at the age of 94. His legacy funds the Louis Cha Scholarship and the Louis Cha statue stands in the College gardens.

The Literary Legend and Legacy of Jin Yong will be hosted at the Fitzwilliam Museum and will be streamed live online from 1.30-4.30pm on Tuesday 21 May. It is open to all.

View the full programme and register to receive the webinar link

Take a screen break and have a pint

The College Bar is now a laptop and tablet free zone after 6pm every day.

Anyone wishing to keep working after that time should relocate to the Cafe seating area or to the Library to allow people who wish to have a break from studying to use the space.

Pints of soft drinks are available as well as alcoholic beverages, pizza and assorted snacks.

College Swish saves 2.3 tonnes of CO2

The third clothes swap event hosted by St John’s took place on Saturday.

Fellows, students and staff donated 115kg of clothing and only 23kg of it was left after a busy session of ‘swishing’.

The event is organised by members of the College’s Sustainability Forum and one attendee wrote about her thrifty finds in an online news article.

Disciplinary procedure review

The College Council has approved some minor amendments to the Guide to Student Behaviour.

The published version of the updated guide is also now available on the College intranet.

New climate research summer scheme for undergraduates

St John’s undergraduates can apply to undertake summer research projects on topics related to the climate crisis with the launch of a pilot scheme.

Projects, which can be in any academic field, should be supervised by College Fellows and run for eight weeks between July and September this year.

Up to three students will be selected for the scheme, and will be paid Living Wage for the duration of their project, thanks to the generosity of donors through the Annual Fund.

Proposals must be submitted through a Fellow who will act as lead supervisor for the project, so current St John’s undergraduates wishing to apply should make contact with a potential supervisor in the first instance.

The deadline for submission of completed proposals is 17 May. Direct general enquiries to Dr Jack Smith.

Easter Term sports results and fixtures

The College’s ladies’ netball 1s put on a strong show in last week’s Cuppers matches, beating Downing 15-1 in their quarter-final but just missing out to Emmanuel in the semi-finals with a 13-15 score.

The mixed hockey 1s lost by one point to Catz in the quarter-finals. While the men’s rugby 1s saw Jesus win 22-7 they still have a chance of third place in the Cuppers Plate Final playoff against Fitz/Sidney tomorrow (Saturday 4 May), 2pm at Grange Road.

Tomorrow will also see Lady Margaret Boat Club rowers take to the River Cam in the Spring Head to Head between 9am and 11am. Supporters welcome to all College sporting events.

Find results and fixtures on the intranet (login required) supplied by the Eagles and Flamingos Clubs.

What’s on

Chapel

Joint Evensong service with the Choir of St John's College and The Gesualdo Six – Friday 3 May, 6.30pm

Music includes Byrd, and Vaughan Williams’s Lord, Thou Hast Been Our Refuge.

The Choir of St John’s College and The Gesualdo Six in concert – Saturday 4 May, 7.30pm

The Choir partners with The Gesualdo Six for a concert* in Chapel. Led by Owain Park, The Gesualdo Six is an award-winning British vocal ensemble, featuring St John’s alumni Alasdair Austin and Joseph Wicks. St John’s Director of Music Christopher Gray and Owain Park will lead a programme featuring works by Byrd, Forbes L’Estrange, Gombert, Marsh, Vaughan Williams and more as the ensembles unite.

The concert will last approximately 75 minutes and there will be no interval. Open to all, £5-£18: book your tickets

*Please note, two student volunteer stewards are needed, email Isabelle Freeman to apply if you are available 6.30pm-9pm and want to attend the concert for free.

There will be no Evensong service on 4 May.

Student Communion – Sunday 5 May, 8.30am

Students are warmly invited to attend Holy Communion. Stick around after this half-hour service for a subsidised cooked breakfast in Hall.

Sung Eucharist with Confirmation – Sunday 5 May, 10.30am

The Sung Eucharist includes baptism and confirmation, with The Rt Rev’d Guli Francis-Dehqani, Bishop of Chelmsford, presiding. The music includes Duruflé’s Ubi caritas and Haydn’s Missa brevis Sancti Joannis de Deo.

Organ recital – Sunday 5 May, 6pm

Robert Sharpe, Director of Music at York Minster, plays JS Bach, Jackson and Moore. Organ recitals are open to all, and admission is free.

Evensong with sermon – Sunday 5 May, 6.30pm

This week’s sermon in the ‘Brave New Worlds’ series will be delivered by the Chaplain. Andrew will address the future of the Church.

The service will be sung by the lower voices of the Choir and feature early music by Victoria and Byrd.

Sung Eucharist for Ascension Day – Thursday 9 May, 10.45am

This service of Eucharist commemorates the bodily Ascension of Jesus into Heaven. The music is by Mendelssohn and the Coronation Mass by Mozart.

Pupils of St John’s College School attend this service so College members are advised to arrive early to secure a seat. The music is by Mendelssohn and the Coronation Mass by Mozart.

Ascension Day is celebrated 40 days after Easter, recalling the story of Jesus’s taking his leave of his disciples.

The Ascension Day Carol from the Chapel tower – Thursday 9 May, 12pm

The Choir sings the Ascension Day Carol from the top of the Chapel tower (weather permitting). Gather in First Court to listen from the ground.

For all other regular services, see the Chapel webpage

Other events

Exhibition of entries to the annual Student Art and Photography Competition  –  Monday 6 May - Thursday 13 June, 9am-5pm.

Library Exhibition Space.

Entries will be exhibited on weekdays, during staffed hours.

Open to all College members, admission free.

Aquila rehearsal – Tuesday 7 May, 5.15-6.45pm

New Music Room.

Aquila is a friendly a cappella singing group for female students, Fellows and staff. It welcomes new members – no audition is necessary, simply drop in to one of its Tuesday evening rehearsals to try before joining. The choir is currently rehearsing for the May Concert.

Pre-Dinner Lecture Series: Portrait of a Museum: Elizabeth I’s Cabinets of Curiosity and England’s Global Wunderkammern – Tuesday 7 May, 6.15pm

Boys Smith Room, Fisher Building.

Talk given by Dr Kaara Peterson, St John’s Burghley Visiting Fellow, followed by drinks.

Open to Fellows, affiliates and postgraduate students. Admission free, booking not required.

Old Library opening – Wednesday 8 May, 2-4pm

Enter via E staircase, Second Court.

Every Wednesday afternoon in term time (except for 15 May; that week's opening will be on Tuesday 14th), view manuscripts and rare printed books from the collections in the Upper Library. Requests for material to be exhibited can be emailed to Special Collections

Open to College members and their guests. Admission free, no booking required.

Short Book Club – Wednesday 8 May, 6.15pm

Merton Hall Cottage (behind the School of Pythagoras).

Paul Yoon’s short 2013 novel Snow Hunters will be discussed at this first club of Easter Term, led by Vona Groarke, the College’s Writer in Residence.

Open to all students, College and English Faculty staff. Free to attend, refreshments available. Email Vona if you wish to attend.

Postgraduates Dine with Fellows – Wednesday 8 May, 7.30pm

Hall.

Open to College postgraduates. Attendance at Postgraduates Dine with Fellows events is restricted to one per academic year. Free, limited places, register via Upay.

Wellness walk – Thursday 9 May, 3pm

Meet at the Great Gate.

A weekly opportunity to get outside and appreciate nature and city sights, and enjoy companionship. The day of the walk alternates between Tuesdays and Thursdays. If it is raining heavily, it will be cancelled. For queries email Karen, Health & Wellbeing Nurse

Palaeography for beginners – Friday 10 May, 3pm

Via Zoom.

Weekly sessions for anyone interested in reading handwriting from c1500-c1700, using documents from the College’s institutional archives. Sessions are informal and aimed at beginners, or those with a little experience who wish to practise their skills.

Sessions are held on Fridays at 3pm and take place online using photographs of the documents. If you are interested in joining, please email the archivist, Dr Lynsey Darby

Open to all, admission free.

St John’s College Association Football Club in the Football Cuppers Final – Friday 10 May, 5pm

St John’s Playing Fields.

Cheer on the Poulets as they look to bring home the intercollegiate cup in the Cuppers Final for the first time in more than a decade. Match programmes will be available on the day.

Open to all, admission free: more details on the Facebook event page

Conference: Philosophy of Art and Aesthetic Normativity – Friday 10 May and Saturday 11 May 2024, 9am-7pm

Lightfoot Room, Old Divinity School, and online.

Annual conference of the Society for German Idealism and Romanticism co-organised by Gerad Gentry, St John’s and University of Mainz PhD student, and Professor Angela Breitenbach, Professor of Philosophy at Cambridge University, sponsored by DAAD Cambridge research hub for German studies.

The conference brings together established and junior scholars from around the world. Gerad will be chairing some sessions and giving a talk, Kant and the Problem of the Idealism of Art.

Admission free. To attend all or part of the event, submit the registration form.

Save the date

Conference: Debate and Dissent: Histories of Christian Approaches to Disagreement – Saturday 11 May, 10.15am-4.45pm

Main Lecture Theatre, Old Divinity School.

In a world where it can be hard to have robust conversation on difficult topics, in this one-day conference renowned historians will explore the rich and varied history of how the Church has handled debate, disagreement, and the freedom of speech.

Suitable for everyone interested in intellectual history and political thought or who just love learning. Speakers include Prof John Coffey (Leicester), Dr Emma Macleod (Stirling), Prof Eugenio Biagini (Cambridge), Dr Jonathan Chaplin (Wesley House, Cambridge) and St John’s history PhD student Daniel Gilman, who helped organise the conference, and other Cambridge postgraduates.

Open to all College members, friends and family: register for free to attend all or part of the day.

Dirac Lecture 2024: Lessons from a Warped Fifth Dimension – Monday 13 May, 2.30pm

Wolfson Room (MR2), Centre for Mathematical Sciences, Wilberforce Road.

Annual lecture in memory of Professor Paul Dirac, the Nobel Prize-winning physicist and former Lucasian Professor, who was a Fellow of St John’s. This year’s speaker is Professor Lisa Randall of Harvard University.

The Dirac Lecture was established by St John’s College and the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics.

Open to all College members with an interest in theoretical physics, admission free.

Real Tennis Event – Wednesday 15 May, 5-7pm

Cambridge University Real Tennis Club, Grange Road.

Starting at 5pm with a 45-minute ‘have a go’ session. Players should wear sportswear and trainers and can turn up any time during the session. All equipment will be provided. There will then be a short introduction to the courts and the game by Dr Victoria Harvey, Tutor for Undergraduate Admissions, with authentic refreshments.

At 6.15pm Cambridge alumni and recent UK amateur champions Jamie Giddins (St John’s, Economics) and Ed Kay (Emmanuel, Engineering) will play an exhibition match.

Open to College postgraduates, Fellows, Visiting Fellows and their guests as part of the Sans Frontières programme. To participate, email the Postgraduate Administrator by 8 May, indicating how many sessions you wish to attend.

Newell Classical Event: Message from a Lost Play – Thursday 16 May, 7.15pm

Palmerston Room, Fisher Building.

The Newell Classical Event 2024, celebrating the classical world, presents award-winning poet Alice Oswald, Oxford Professor of Poetry 2019-2023, in Message from a Lost Play, a lecture based on the fragments of the Psychostasia of Aeschylus.

Open to all, admission free, no booking required.

Talk: The History and Development of Cambridge University – Tuesday 21 May, 6pm

Main Lecture Theatre, Old Divinity School.

A presentation by the Senior Tutor, Richard Partington, for College postgraduates, Fellows, Visiting Fellows and their guests. Part of the Sans Frontières programme.

Admission free, no booking required.

Cheese and wine tasting – Wednesday 29 May

Wordsworth Room.

Open to College postgraduates, Fellows, Visiting Fellows and their guests. Part of the Sans Frontières programme. Further details to be confirmed.

Postgraduates Dine with Fellows – Wednesday 5 June, 7.30pm

Hall.

Open to College postgraduates. Attendance at Postgraduates Dine with Fellows events is restricted to one per academic year.

Free, limited places, register via Upay.

Tour of the College gardens – Wednesday 12 June

A tour of the College gardens by members of staff from the gardening team. The tour will focus on sustainability.

Open to College postgraduates, Fellows, Visiting Fellows and their guests. Part of the Sans Frontières programme. Maximum 15 people. Further details to be confirmed.

May Concert – Monday 17 June

May Ball – Tuesday 18 June

And finally

Members of the SBR spent an afternoon destressing at a therapy dog event in the Fisher Building organised for student wellbeing.

Studies show that interacting with dogs reduces stress and anxiety while increasing feelings of optimism and happiness - much-needed when it keeps raining so much. 

^{Photo credit: Nordin Ćatić}