Clare College has a longstanding reputation for the very highest quality of music-making, both nationally and internationally, and we are proud to offer our students one of the most stimulating musical environments in which to find or develop their talents.
Donations to the Friends of Clare music enable the Director of Music to sustain and enhance music at the College. Recent examples of funded projects include the installation of webcasting microphones and technology, installation of live streaming video technology, purchase of College instruments, support towards touring activities, and student collaborations with external professional musicians.
In addition to one-off and regular gifts, all proceeds from sales of For Her Good Estate: The Life of Elizabeth de Burgh, Lady of Clare go to support College music.
Robin Ticciati (2001)
Robin Ticciati is Principal Conductor of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Principal Guest Conductor of the Bamberger Symphoniker, as well as co-founder of the Aurora Orchestra. The youngest-ever guest conductor at La Scala, Milan and, since 2014, the youngest-ever Music Director of Glyndebourne Festival Opera, his conducting engagements take him across the world.
Elin Manahan-Thomas (1995)
Elin Manahan-Thomas is a soprano, best known as perfomer of Baroque music, and is also a broadcaster and presenter. She released her début album, Eternal Light, in 2007 with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, and is the first singer ever to record Bach’s Alles mit Gott. She has performed in the Vatican, and in 2012 sang at the opening ceremony of the London Paralympic Games.
Andrew Manze (1983)
Andrew Manze is a celebrated violinist and conductor. He has performed with many leading international orchestras including the Deutsches Symphonie Orchester Berlin, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, and the Scottish and Swedish Chamber Orchestras, to name a few. He has been Associate Director of The Academy of Ancient Music and later Artistic Director of The English Concert.
The four levels of membership are:
Friend (£100+ annually)
Friends receive a termly e-newsletter with details of concerts, evensongs, recitals and recordings; an electronic copy of the termly Chapel card; acknowledgement in the College’s annual List of Donors (unless you have requested that your donation be anonymous); a 50% discount on the latest recording by the Choir of Clare College
Supporter (£500+ annually)
Supporters receive all the benefits of a Friend, plus a complimentary ticket to one of the Clare College Music Society (CCMS) termly concerts, and a complimentary copy of the latest recording by the Choir of Clare College.
Patron (£2,500+ annually)
Patrons receive all the benefits of a Supporter, plus an invitation to a Patrons’ Dinner with the Director of Music, and a personal acknowledgement in programmes for self-promoted concerts by the Choir of Clare College and CCMS.
Gold Patron (£5,000+ annually)
Gold Patrons receive all the benefits of a Patron, plus the opportunity to name a Position within the Choir, for example the Lay Clerkship; or the opportunity to name a Chair within the Clare College Symphony Orchestra, for example, the Conductor or the Leader.
Annual membership of the Friends of Clare Music lasts for the academic year (1 October to 30 September)
