One of our longest-standing Chorus members, Jennifer Day, has written and published a book about her fifty years with the Phil!
Fifty years of music-making with the Cambridge PhilBy Jennifer Day
Jennifer Day’s fascinating account of her 50 years with the Cambridge Phil, records her experiences of singing under seven different conductors – Peter Dennison, Tim Brown, Graeme Jenkins, Russell Keable, Matthew Rowe, Martin West and Tim Redmond. When she first joined in 1971 the chorus included ‘the last of the knitters’, older ladies who sat and knitted while they sang – a short-lived feature!
Over the succeeding decades she was introduced to an ever-expanding repertoire as well as varying conducting styles, not to mention the occasional challenging rehearsal technique. She has seen the Phil’s ambitions grow to include trips abroad to perform in Amsterdam, Brussels and Prague, and opera and children’s concerts established as annual features.
“During this fifty-year period the Phil has gone from strength to strength”, she says. “We have been blessed with conductors who have taken us to ever new heights and, as an amateur singer, I have been thrilled to be a part of this organisation.”
Jennifer pays tribute to her late husband, James Day, music correspondent for the Cambridge Evening News, who came to virtually every Phil performance. A selection of his reviews of Phil concerts are scattered throughout the book.
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Jennifer’s book is available to purchase for £5, with proceeds going to support Cambridge Philharmonic.
Please email info@cam-phil.org.uk for more details.