Homerton College Music Society
| Homerton College Music Society | |
|---|---|
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| Background information | |
| Also known as | HCMS |
| Origin | Homerton College, Hills Road, Cambridge |
| Genres | Classical, Jazz, Popular music, Choral |
| Website | http://www.srcf.ucam.org/hcms |
Homerton College Music Society is the name of the collective of musical bands and ensembles within Homerton College, Cambridge. The society's official purpose (according to its constitution) is "to promote both the appreciation and the performance of all types of music in and beyond the College". Within the society is the Orchestra, Homerton Singers, Homerton Jazz Orchestra (HoJO), and the Steel Pan band 'Pandemonium'. The Charter Choir of Homerton College, the college's auditioned chapel-style choir, is run by the Director of Music, independent of the music society.
The orchestra is student-run and -conducted, and is open without audition to players of all standards from Homerton, any other Cambridge college, or Anglia Ruskin University. It ordinarily performs two concerts a year, in Michaelmas and Lent terms respectively. The orchestra's members are sourced almost exclusively from the student body of the College, and the ensemble is unique amongst Cambridge College Orchestras in this respect.
Formerly called the 'College Choir', Homerton Singers is a non-audition ensemble that performs termly.
Founded in 2009, this choir, formed of auditioned members including choral scholars and two organ scholars, is not run by the Music Society, but by the College, which appoints a Director of Music as artistic director. Although Homerton College does not have a chapel owing to its history as a dissenting academy, the Charter Choir regularly performs Choral Evensong (and other services) at the neighbouring Church of St John the Evangelist, and functions similarly to the chapel choirs of many other Oxbridge colleges.
HoJO (Homerton Jazz Orchestra), a non-audition ensemble, was founded with the aim of playing high quality music but without high pressure. The band, like the college, is friendly and welcoming with an active social side.
Pandemonium is Homerton College's long established Steel Pan band. The band performs at a variety of events, such as May Balls, weddings, garden parties and Charity events. Members also teach curriculum based steel pan workshops for schools and groups of all ages. Pandemonium frequently features in Homerton College music concerts and events. It is open to any member of the University of Cambridge and accepts players of any standard, and absolutely no musical experience (or even ability to read music) is necessary.
The band plays all styles of music, ranging from traditional Caribbean style tunes, to modern day pop music and show tunes, for example 'Let me Entertain You' and 'Under the sea'. The band writes all their own arrangements.
Pandemonium also has its own website for event bookings and information for prospective members.
HCMS organises recitals throughout term, when undergraduate students are in residence at the college. Recitalists are usually (although not necessarily) members of the University, but are not always members of Homerton College.
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