Chapel: Who's Who | Clare College - Cambridge University

The Dean

The Rev'd Dr Mark Smith is responsible for the life of the College Chapel, and has a pastoral role among all members of the College community. He is also Clare's Director of Studies in Theology, and a College Tutor. Mark is a priest of the Church of England and was himself a student at Cambridge, reading History at Peterhouse. He lectures in patristics at the Faculty of Divinity, and his academic research focuses on the history and doctrine of the fourth and fifth centuries. Mark is married to Phillippa, and they have two young daughters. In his spare time, Mark enjoys playing cricket, snooker and pool. His rooms are in E3 (Old Court), and he can be contacted on mss53@cam.ac.uk.

The Director of Music

Graham Ross oversees all practical music-making in the College, teaches conducting on the MMus Course and supervises for the Music Tripos. He has established an exceptional reputation as a sought-after conductor and composer of a very broad range of repertoire. His performances around the world and his extensive discography have earned consistently high international praise, including a Diapason d’Or, Le Choix de France Musique and a Gramophone Award nomination. He is Principal Conductor/co-founder of The Dmitri Ensemble, and, since 2010, Fellow and Director of Music at Clare College, Cambridge. In demand as a regular guest conductor in the UK and abroad, his recent collaborations have included the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Aalborg Symfoniorkester, Australian Chamber Orchestra, London Mozart Players, Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Salomon Orchestra, Aurora Orchestra and Haydn Chamber Orchestra. In recent seasons his work has taken him to Sydney Opera House, Washington’s Library of Congress, Notre Dame Cathedral, Palestine, Asia and throughout Europe. He has conducted many world première performances and recordings, including works by James MacMillan, Judith Bingham, Giles Swayne, Imogen Holst, Nico Muhly, Brett Dean, Gabriel Jackson, John Rutter, Matthew Martin. He may be contacted on gr267@cam.ac.uk or tel.: +44 (0)1223 333264.

Head of the Chapel Office

The Head of the Chapel Office is Gabrielle Bell. Gabrielle read Education and Music at Homerton College, Cambridge and began her career as a classroom teacher and school music co-ordinator. She frequently sang with the late Dr. Rex Walford OBE, presenting workshops and performing programmes about musical theatre, including regular courses at the University's Institute of Continuing Education.

After many years of teaching music to all ages, she was lured into the world of Museum Education where her award-winning creative approach to learning ranged from piecing together a life-size cuddly equine digestive system to teaching six-year-olds to sing a C17th Catch!

Gabrielle is delighted to have returned to her University roots as part of the Clare College Chapel Team and can be contacted about routine Chapel matters at gjb62@cam.ac.uk

The Decani Scholar

The Decani Scholar is Hannah Fytche.

Hannah Fytche is a PhD student in New Testament Theology, researching the image of ‘the body of Christ’ and how this helps us to understand individual and community identities.

Hannah has been a part of the Clare Chapel community since coming up to Cambridge in 2015. Following four years as a student here, Hannah worked full-time for St Andrew’s Church, Chesterton, before returning to Clare to begin her PhD in 2021. Chapel life is a constant joy to her, providing beauty, rest and friendship through all the ups and downs of a Cambridge term. She loves that people with different backgrounds and experiences can all come together and make this Chapel their community.

Alongside study, Hannah loves the occasional crafternoon (‘craft afternoon’!), exploring the Cambridgeshire countryside, and reading good books. As Decani Scholar, Hannah is available to students for a chat at any time and can be contacted on hrf24@cam.ac.uk

The Choir Administrator

Harry Elliot is responsible for all the Choir’s external engagements.

Harry is a bass-baritone who grew up in North London and discovered his passion for choral music at Highgate School. After completing his ARSM Diploma in Singing, he went on to gain a Choral Scholarship at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, where he also read maths as an undergraduate for three years, graduating last June.

During this time, he performed with various ensembles alongside Caius Choir—including Caius Men and the University Chamber Choir—in addition to singing principal roles in a variety of opera productions. From the Baroque passion of Handel’s Rodelinda to the quaint comedy of Gilbert and Sullivan’s Ruddigore, Harry’s stage experience has afforded him myriad opportunities to develop his performance skills.

Among these ensembles, one stood out particularly for Harry, namely the Cambridge Early Music Consort. There, he discovered a passion for early music—one which he has explored further this year with the Bruegel Consort, a Cambridge-based early music vocal ensemble.

However, Harry has not eschewed his Anglican choral pursuits, and enjoys singing regular services with both Clare Choir and St. John’s Voices. He also enjoys playing piano, flute and clarinet in his spare time.

Harry can be contacted at he287@cam.ac.uk.

The Organ Scholars

Sir William McKie Senior Organ Scholar

Daniel Blaze started playing the organ at All Saints Church where he spent two years as organ scholar accompanying the choir and playing voluntaries on the famous Frobenius organ. He then spent a gap year as the Organ Scholar for both Sherborne Abbey and Sherborne School, playing for services in the Abbey for both the Abbey choir and Sherborne
School’s choirs. As Organ Scholar at Clare, he has played for a broadcast Epiphany carol service, and has accompanied the Choir in venues in the Netherlands, the United States, and various locations in England. On top of the organ, Daniel is a keen singer, directing and singing with Lady Clare’s Consort, and Cantus Byrdus. He is also a busy horn player, having performed with many orchestras in Cambridge, including the Cambridge University Orchestra, as well as performing chamber music as part of the Instrumental Award Scheme.

Junior Organ Scholar

Evie Perfect spent her gap year as Organ Scholar at Hereford Cathedral and is currently studying Music. After starting to learn the organ with Adrian Partington when she was 13, she became the Organist at St George’s Church, Brockworth and subsequently was the Junior Organ Scholar at Gloucester Cathedral. At A level she enjoyed studying Maths, Physics and Music, and combined these interests by writing a paper on the development of temperament. Although primarily an organist, Evie also sings regularly and was the inaugural head girl chorister at Gloucester Cathedral. She is also a ‘cellist and played in the Gloucester Youth Chamber Orchestra, during which time she took part in a virtual recording of the Egmont Overture by Beethoven during the pandemic. She currently studies with Gerdi Troskie and enjoys playing a wide range of musical styles from Bach to Hakim. Her ultimate aim is to become a Cathedral organist in the future.

Religious networks in Clare and the University

The Clare Christian Union Representatives are Susannah Scott (ss2849@cam.ac.uk) and Matthew Sherwood (ms2832@cam.ac.uk).

The Clare Fisher House Representative is Tabitha Smith (tets2@cam.ac.uk).

The University Jewish Chaplains are Ben Baruch and Atira Baruch (ben@mychaplaincy.co.uk and atira@mychaplaincy.co.uk).

The University Buddhist Chaplain is Dr Rachael Harris. Rachael can be contacted at rmh1001@cam.ac.uk and is a Fellow of Clare College.

Cambridge University Islamic Society (CU ISoc) information can be found here.