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Precentor Matthew Martin has high aspirations for Gonville & 91ֱ�� Choir, with an intrinsic motivation seeking a distinctive sound and creating memories for singers and the audience alike.

As Precentor, or Director of Music, Matthew is seeking to build on an established reputation by offering something different.

“I’m wanting to give the students as many varied musical opportunities as possible during their time here – to take them on tour, to record and to broadcast with them,” he says.

"Above all, to teach them how to sing, sustain a line (in a dry acoustic!), and develop their musical potential. 

“And in a way specialise here at 91ֱ�� in something a little bit different to Evensong - although we do Evensong every Sunday, too. We sing a weekly Choral Vespers on Tuesdays which involves something of the Roman Catholic culture – plainchant and polyphony – whilst sitting comfortably within our Anglican tradition.

“We also broadcast a full Monastic Vespers live on Radio 3 in December from Buckfast Abbey. This sort of distinctive liturgy and music-making is something of a rarity these days.”

Matthew’s own musical journey included a spell as an organ scholar at an Oxford college – more of that later – and he can empathise with those now under his tutelage.

The broadcast from Buckfast Abbey in Devon was aired in December 2021, and a new recorded broadcast of Choral Evening Prayer will follow on .

Recruiting members to the College choir is a large part of Matthew’s varied role at 91ֱ��. Applications for Choral Scholarships are open until Tuesday 15 February, with details available on .

Matthew encourages applications from anyone, regardless of previous experience or background.

“It’s about potential, not necessarily having had bags of previous experience at school,” he says.

“We have certainly had students in the choir who arrived with virtually no experience of choral singing and by the end of their time here they may be singing solos on a Radio 3 broadcast or similar high-profile event. It's great to see that transformation.

“We train the singers both vocally and musically – and hope that they exceed their own expectations. It is very possible for the experience to be transformative – and even life-changing.”

The high standards run alongside a busy schedule in term time – five nights a week with choir rehearsals, three of them followed by services. There is also plenty of socialising together as a group outside choir times.

Matthew adds: “Singing in a choir teaches people something about teamwork. Making music together and singing is often said to be good for one’s health and wellbeing; it also helps provide a structure for their week and a welcome break from time in the library!”

Matthew is modest about his own talent, which includes his compositions appearing on a .

After graduating from the University of Oxford, Matthew was a postgraduate student at the Royal Academy of Music, and then studied in France with , a renowned French organist who died in February 2013.

He returned to Oxford, as an Assistant Organist at New College, before undertaking a similar role at Canterbury Cathedral. Six and a half years as Assistant to the Master of Music at Westminster Catholic Cathedral followed. It was at Westminster where Matthew’s interest in Catholic music, plainchant and organ improvisation grew, and he followed that with four years as a freelance composer whilst being Organist at the Brompton Oratory in London.

Next came five years at Keble College, Oxford as Director of Music before Matthew joined 91ֱ�� in April 2020, early in the global pandemic, as successor to Geoffrey Webber.

“I first met the choir at a Zoom party early in April 2020. It wasn’t the most ideal way to start an exciting new job, but the students were incredibly welcoming,” he says.

Conducting the choir is Matthew’s main role, but he is also Director of Studies in Music, an undergraduate Tutor – responsible for academic and pastoral support, respectively – and in charge of College Music.

“I see my main role as directing the choir, but combine that with various other College duties (not all musical) – so life is always refreshingly varied,” he says.

“I also keep life varied musically – I’m active as a composer (currently working on a Missa Brevis for the Choir of Coventry Cathedral to celebrate their Diamond Jubilee) and have been playing the organ quite a bit recently at King’s College, including for a number of recordings and broadcasts – most notably a Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols in 2020.”

His own musical journey and his Oxford scholarship means he has the experience to support his students.

An interest in composing began as soon as Matthew touched a keyboard and started to sing.

“My parents got an upright piano when I was about four and I remember fiddling around on it – specialising particularly in F sharp major! That key always sounded good to me” he adds.

“When the music was put in front of me, when I was about six, I didn’t enjoy it as much – partly because my piano teacher was so strict. I much preferred playing by ear – although I learnt to sightread pretty quicky. Learning to improvise at the keyboard at an early age has been quite useful later in life for all sorts of reasons, and I wonder whether some kids could benefit more by approaching music this way around – rather than being restricted to a sort of code and risking a lack of freedom in their music making later on - particularly creatively.”

He attended Tewkesbury Abbey Choir School and Dean Close in Cheltenham, singing in the choir. It was at this point that he started to take organ lessons.

He was very grateful to the organist at his Parish church for tutelage and encouragement, and that is where the incentive came to apply to Oxford, something which certainly hadn't been suggested or encouraged by his school. Matthew was awarded a place at Magdalen College to read Music with an organ scholarship in 1993.

He adds: “That was really demanding, and I had to learn very quickly. They sang every day, and it was all rather formal and scary!

“I found myself aged 19 playing live on Radio 3 and it was terrifying coming straight from school – and with no gap year experience of playing for services. A baptism of fire but, looking back, I'm glad of it”

Composing continued, inspired by medieval music and Thursday night’s Top of the Pops – and an affinity with 1980s pop music endures.

For Matthew, the choir is about making memories as well as an impact.

This summer the choir will travel to Menorca, Spain to rehearse for a recording that will take place in Gloucestershire of sixteenth century music with old brass instruments.

Some graduates returned to augment the choir last December, after the pandemic deprived them of an opportunity to appear with the choir at high-profile events.

Members of the current choir will graduate this summer, some targeting careers in music and auditioning for groups such as Harry Christophers and the Sixteen, and other world-renowned performers.

Matthew will watch their progress, as well as helping to shape their successors’ musical talents for the collective good of Gonville & 91ֱ�� College Choir and the wider College community.

He says: “In singing daily there’s something of a monastic feel to it. We are a community which comes together daily to make music and to worship – and there is a feeling of the daily round being somewhat iterative; we are always hoping to improve and hone our skills.

“As long as the standard is continuing on an upward trajectory, we can really look forward to the big occasions.”

- Applications for Choral Scholarships are open until Tuesday 15 February, with details available on .