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Student wins place on répétiteur and conducting scheme

Tuesday 4 February 2025

 

A St Catharine's student has been announced as the first winner of the Répétiteur/Choral Conducting Training Scheme, which has been established by the University of Cambridge’s Centre for Music Performance. John Zhang, a final-year Music undergraduate and the College's Neville Burston Organ Scholar, will benefit from advanced keyboard tuition and lessons in conducting and score preparation, along with the opportunity to act as rehearsal accompanist for the University Symphony Chorus and other large-scale choral rehearsals.

Describing the scheme as “a great supplement to my studies and organ scholarship”, John said:

“I’ve already had the chance to tackle larger-scale repertoire such as Poulenc’s Stabat Mater and Weir’s Moon and Star for January’s King’s concert – a rewarding challenge! I’m also looking forward to upcoming rehearsals of Vaughan Williams’ A Sea Symphony and Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis.”  

Dr Edward Wickham (2006), Director of Music at St Catharine's, commented:

"It is great to see John’s talent recognised by the Centre for Music Performance in this way. Of course, we have been enjoying it for over two years at St Catharine's; most recently at the splendid Kellaway concert last Friday."

Under the scheme, John has received lessons in conducting from David Young, Director of the University Symphony Chorus and the National Symphony Chorus of Ireland, and advanced keyboard lessons with Royal Opera Répétiteur Edward Reeve.

John said, “David Young is a pleasure to work with and I’m excited to learn more from him about aspects of choral conducting, such as how to coach singers and to prepare scores. It was really fun learning [from Edward Reeve] how to prepare opera scenes (Tosca and La Traviata) and play the piano in an orchestral way. Opera has historically been a gap in my musical knowledge, and it’s great to finally get to grips with the standard repertoire."

John Zhang playing the organ at St Catharine's
John playing the organ at St Catharine's
John Zhang in Main Court at St Catharine's College
John in Main Court

John is keen to emphasise the scheme’s impact on his musical and personal growth, adding:

“I’m very grateful that I’ve been able to refine my sight-reading and accompaniment skills as a result of this scheme, and my eyes have been opened to the attractive prospects of potentially working as an opera répétiteur in the future. After graduation, I hope to study for a Master's in accompaniment at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.”

John was previously a first-study organist at the Junior Royal Academy of Music, under Dr Frederick Stocken and Anne Marsden Thomas MBE, and has held organ scholarships at St Giles’ Cripplegate, the Chapel Royal (St James’ Palace), and Liverpool Cathedral.  

In addition to playing the organ for weekly chapel services at St Catharine's, he is finding himself increasingly in demand as a solo and collaborative pianist, with this term’s projects including the Cambridge Shostakovich Festival’s ‘Prelude and Fugue-athon’, Brahms’ Violin Sonata No.3 for St Catharine’s Kellaway concert series, and the Clare College Song Competition semi-final.  

Centre for Music Performance Director Simon Fairclough commented:

“It’s wonderful to hear how fully John is embracing this opportunity: we’re delighted to have been able to give him the chance to study with Edward and David, and we look forward to hearing more about his experience as the scheme unfolds.”