The Gentlemen of St John's was formed in the early 1970s
by the Choral Scholars of St. John's College, Cambridge, whose reputation
as one of the world's leading choirs is long established. The choir sings
the daily services in chapel whilst maintaining a busy schedule of
broadcasts, recordings and international tours, while the 'Gents' have
performed in America, Italy, Sweden, Eire, Australia, South Africa,
Germany and Japan. They have made three recordings in recent years, which
reflect the wide spectrum of their repertoire.
'Offering well-nigh perfect musicality, phrasing and
grooming, the Gents are an immaculately blended, responsive, interactive
consort.' BBC Music Magazine
'I have heard little vocal music released recently that
can touch the pure tone and controlled excellence of this ensemble.'
Counterpoint Music
'I enjoyed their music very much.' HRH the Duke of
Edinburgh
In concert their programmes include sacred music and,
usually, a lighter second half ranging from folksongs and partsongs to
Cole Porter, the Beatles and beyond. For more information, please contact:
The Manager The Gentlemen of St John's St John's College
Cambridge CB2 1TP
Tel: +44 (0)1223 369472 Fax: +44 (0)1223 338744 [email protected] http://www.joh.cam.ac.uk/gents
Born in Edinburgh in 1978, Graham Walker received
his early musical education as a chorister under Dr George Guest at St
John's College, Cambridge. In 1991 he went to Harrow School on a top Music
Scholarship, where he studied the piano, cello and organ, giving
performances in 1995 of Schumann's Piano and Elgar's Cello Concerti.
In 1996 he returned to St John's as an alto Choral
Scholar. Whilst at St John's, he studied for the Mathematical Tripos,
performed widely on the cello, and pursued an interest in conducting,
directing performances of requiems by Fauré and Duruflé, as well as
Bach's B Minor Mass. He was musical director of The Gentlemen of St John's
from 1997 to 1999, and won the 1996 UNICEF National Young Conductors'
Platform.
In 1999 he was awarded a scholarship to the Royal
Academy of Music to study Cello and Baroque Cello at postgraduate level,
where he studied 2000-2 with Lionel Handy and Jennifer Ward-Clarke.
The Gentlemen of St John's and Quilisma would like to
thank the Master and Fellows of St John's College, Cambridge for their
generous support of this recording.
