The Faculty has developed relationships with a number of professional ensembles and partners to the benefit of our students and researchers as well as the wide Cambridge performance community. These partners include:
Academy of Ancient Music
Britten Sinfonia
Kettle's Yard
Cambridge Organ Scholars' Forum
Academy of Ancient Music
The Academy of Ancient Music (AAM) has been an ensemble in residence at the Faculty of Music since 2004. Founded by the late Christopher Hogwood, once Honorary Professor in the University of Cambridge, and continuing this tradition today under Music Director Richard Egarr, the AAM is one of the world’s first and foremost period-instrument orchestras. Concerts across six continents and over 250 recordings since its formation in 1973 demonstrate the AAM’s pre-eminence in the music of the period 1600–1850, from Monteverdi to Mendelssohn. The Academy of Ancient Music gives approximately three concerts a year in the Faculty of Music’s West Road Concert Hall, and undergraduates are offered a limited number of free tickets for these concerts. In addition the AAM regularly offers coaching from some of the foremost exponents of period-instrument performance in Europe to undergraduates studying Music.
Britten Sinfonia
Britten Sinfonia, which features a collection of the country’s most talented and creative musicians, is widely recognised as one of the most innovative chamber ensembles in Europe. It regularly collaborates with internationally acclaimed artists, including Angela Hewitt, Evelyn Glennie, Ian Bostridge and Joanna MacGregor. Britten Sinfonia has been an ensemble in residence at the University of Cambridge since 2002. Britten Sinfonia gives regular concerts in the West Road Concert Hall and participates in the Cambridge Performance Studies Forum through post-concert discussions with featured composers and performers. The Forum is organised by the Cambridge Centre for Musical Performance Studies.
Kettle's Yard
Kettle’s Yard runs a Chamber Music series, New Music series, and student concerts series. They all take place in the House at Kettle's Yard and are supported by an endowment by the founder of Kettle's Yard, Jim Eade.
The chamber music programme includes a diverse and exciting season of recitals, taking place on Thursday evenings.
The student concert series takes place on Friday lunchtimes in Lent term.
Kettle’s Yard has hosted numerous New Music Curators over the years, including some of the most prominent figures on today’s new music scene. The current New Music Curator is Tom McKinney, a familiar voice on BBC Radio 3, on the contemporary music programme Hear & Now and presenting many live concerts.
Cambridge Organ Scholars' Forum
The Cambridge Organ Scholars’ Forum was founded in 1999 to provide specialist training and support for the Organ Scholars of Cambridge. Funded principally by the Cambridge colleges, the Forum organises a series of varied events each year involving many leading teachers and performers from the UK and abroad, as well as providing a useful point of contact between the Organ Scholars across the University. A number of College Organ Scholars act as secretaries of the committee and help with planning and administration.