Oliver is in his first year at King’s, reading music, and singing alto. A former drummer and player of ice hockey, at the age of 10, he left the life of sport and rock music to become a chorister at Chelmsford Cathedral, where he subsequently sang for eight years. Oliver has featured as a soloist in St. James’ Palace and has sung a solo for a few seconds in a BBC Radio 3 Broadcast (the apotheosis of his singing career). In the future, Oliver hopes to be a musician of some sort, or to become the new ‘Chaucer Man’ reciting the Canterbury Tales around the world.

Peter joined King’s College choir this year, and sees his membership as the fulfilment of a lifetime goal. Since becoming head chorister of Exeter Cathedral in 2004, he has had his sights set on the covetable Alto 1 spot in Collegium Regale, and now, having attained that position, is greatly enjoying sitting atop the group’s immaculately balanced texture. In his spare time, Peter studies the blueprints of Far Eastern airports, and in the future hopes to expand his horizons in aviation architecture, if his career in 16th Century opera falls through.

An aspiring opera singer, Feargal trained for a year at Waitrose (and the Royal College of Music) before coming to King’s. Despite being by far the manliest member of the group, Feargal prides himself on being in touch with his feminine side, by singing like a 12 year old girl in choir. Ever the North London lad, when not training on the football field, the gentle giant can usually be found nursing a glass of his favourite beverage, Lambrini, in the college bar.

Robbie is in his third year at King’s, singing tenor, and reading music in his spare time. Before arriving in Cambridge his main singing experience had been with the National Youth Choir and Laudibus. Robbie also takes an interest in conducting and musical direction, and is the musical director of The Omega Consort and a recent performance of “Nine” at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Although far too unfit to make an impact on the pitch, Robbie prides himself on his managerial skill of the Coll Reg Football team, and reckons he could do a pretty good job as manager of Arsenal. He loves directing Collegium Regale both on and off the field, and aspires to be the Arsene Wenger of close harmony musical direction.

Matthew is in his third year at King’s, reading Music. Although a keen flautist and pianist, singing has been an important part of Matthew’s life from an early age, indeed there were reports of sweet music resounding from his mother’s womb during pregnancy. In 2010, Matthew represented Cambridge University in the Sir Anthony Lewis Memorial Prize singing competition, winning 1st prize, and later that year was a soloist at the Beatification Mass for the Blessed Cardinal Newman, presided over by Pope Benedict XVI and broadcast across Europe by the BBC. Matthew’s engagements as a solo Tenor have included works by Monteverdi, Bach, Handel, Mozart, Puccini, Vaughan Williams, Leighton, Britten, Yeston and Bart. Matthew aspires to be an opera singer, but has temporarily put the brakes on this career path, preferring to can-can in a sparkly sequined waistcoat on the musical theatre stage.

Tom is a second year Choral Scholar in King’s Choir. Another career chorister, Tom sung at Winchester as a boy before proceeding to the little known secondary school of same name and then singing as a Lay Clerk at Truro Cathedral in his gap year. Tom studies economics, a degree rarely studied by choral scholars but one which, he assures us, has certainly helped him to ‘invest’ in his singing. This year, Tom keeps a busy schedule and a full diary as the group’s Business Manager, with aspirations to pursuing some sort of management or ‘banking’ career in the future. Although in his gap year, his travels only took him as far as Cornwall, in the future Tom hopes to explore the high seas, and perhaps even one day live in a pirate ship. Today is Tom’s Birthday – let’s wish him a felicitatious one!!

Alex, although a product of the Cleobury conservatoire/kindergarten, is a cricketer by trade. Having honed his skills against the likes of Allan Donald and Shaun Pollock as a boy he hopes to translate his experience at finding his rhythm and dealing with pace and pressure, into the often intense Coll Reg environment. Whilst also studying the piano, his ambition is to make it big in the conducting world; a route he knows will be a long and hard slog. Outside Cambridge, he has enjoyed working on the Eton Choral Courses for four years, where he scouts exciting young talent. Alex is in his final year studying Music.

Ruairi is a first year under-graduate at King’s, studying music and singing a cracking tenor line, having taken a year away from education to learn how to read and write. Ruairi’s school career began badly as he was the last person in his class to learn how to spell his own name correctly. He began singing when he was six years old, as a chorister in St David’s Cathedral Choir, continuing his musical studies with John Scott at St Paul’s Cathedral and latterly at school in Hereford, where he deputised in the Cathedral Choir. As a keen recreational saxophone player, Ruairi is looking forward to getting involved in Cambridge’s vibrant jazz scene. Ruairi is enthusiast for Mexican cuisine, and is often seen wearing his apron in the kitchen, cooking fajitas stuffed full of guacamole. Away from music, Ruairi enjoys cricket, football and the occasional innocent walk in the Brecon Beacons.

David was lucky enough to get his break at an early age when he landed the part of ‘Toad’ in Toad of Toad Hall at the age of 8 in a family and friends only production of Wind in the Willows. Although since then, David has never quite reached those dizzy heights, his appetite for singing had been whetted, and his success at a young age propelled him to become a chorister at Gloucester Cathedral, which he enjoyed immensely. After the fatal voice break happened, David squeaked his way through tenor parts in various school choirs, before finally securing a place in the Gloucester Cathedral Youth Choir, with whom he sung for 3 years whilst occasionally singing in the Cathedral Choir as a deputee. Since then things have gone downhill as he has found himself in King’s College Choir, and thus further from Toad of Toad Hall than ever. David thrives on writing in the third person.

Before settling at Tiffin School in Kingston (not Jamaica), Daniel followed his globetrotting parents’ lifestyle to Istanbul and Mumbai. Now firmly rooted in Cambridge, he is currently in his first year reading music and singing baritone in Collegium Regale and the Chapel Choir. Most evenings Daniel enjoys relaxing in the darkness of King’s Chapel, bathing in the glory of the stained glass windows, and staring up at the fan vaulted ceiling, a wonder of alternative architecture of its time. Desperate to escape from the mainstream, in a bid to liberate his inner self and be unshackled from the manacles of society, Dan enjoys listening to Pixie Lott, Coldplay and attending public schools.

Ben has been involved in choral music since the age of 11, when he was accepted into the National Youth Choir of Great Britain and he has recently spent 8 months singing in the choir of Holy Trinity Cathedral in Auckland, New Zealand. Whilst down under, Ben was awarded the prize for the least intimidating performance of the Haka, and decided that his lifelong dream of playing for the All Blacks was probably an unrealistic one. Instead he chose to pursue an interest in Country and Western music, dressing up as a male version of Dolly Parton, and attempting to play the piano in a jazz bar. As one of the only choral scholars not reading music, he has been described as musically inept by some of his colleagues, but he believes he makes up for this in his sublime taste in contemporary music, although this has also been deemed by some as socially unacceptable. Ben is in his first year, reading Theology, and is an enthusiastic, if deficient, sportsman.

David first began singing as a chorister at Leicester Cathedral, continuing to sing there as a bass throughout his time at school after his voice had broken. Also, as a keen stylophonist, he often performs in smaller ensembles and hopes to form his own exciting trio in the near future. David is now in his final year at King’s, where he is studying for a degree in Theology and Religious Studies. David enjoys playing the piano and organ and has some experience accompanying choirs around Leicester and Cambridge. Most recently, David has achieved his ‘50 metres’ swimming award (with distinction).

Garbed in a beard fit to intimidate a Scandinavian Troll, the impressive nature of Toby’s facial hair is as silky smooth as his dulcet basso profundo vocé. An award winning composer, his creative skills have been hijacked by Collegium Regale, and utilised in the form of some brand new arrangements for the group. When not working with the LSO and the RPO, Toby can be found in the body shop sampling their extensive range of dermatological products.

Rob arrived at King’s this year, and has been quick to involve himself in college life. Having represented England for rugby at U16 level, he has utilised his scrummaging skills in Cambridge’s nightclubs, as he rucks his way through the hordes of ladies and twists and turns his way to the bar. Never afraid to launch himself into the challenges, Rob has quickly acclimatised himself to the pressures of singing in King’s chapel. It has kicked off well, and Rob will try to convert this into a flying career.

Ben is a Kingsman and hails from a farm in rural West Sussex. A child prodigy and Youtube sensation, he took up singing and keyboard studies from the age of 3 and went to prep school as a chorister at Westminster Cathedral in London. Having passed his A-levels at the age of sixteen, Ben took five gap years before coming to Cambridge, working at Stoke Brunswick prep school in East Sussex as a ‘Gappy’ before joining Gloucester Cathedral as a choral scholar for a year. Outside of singing Ben enjoys going to gigs, drinking Guinness and seeing Chelsea (the mighty blues) play as well as playing squash, making tea and playing football for King’s College. Ben hopes to enter either the world of music media and publishing, law, or farming when he has completed his Music degree at King’s.

Ben San-Lau is in his second year at King’s College Cambridge, studying music where he is senior organ scholar. Taking the well trodden path from Eton College, San arrived at Cambridge in October 2009, shooting to fame as Pete Stevens’ page turner on “Carols from Kings” that Christmas. Unusually sociable for an organ scholar, San is a weekly contributor to www.getknitting.com.

Parker Ramsay, a native of Nashville, Tennessee, is serving as junior Organ Scholar at King’s College. He was formerly Organ Scholar at the King’s School, Ely, and at Ely Cathedral before coming to Cambridge. He is pursuing undergraduate studies in Music at Cambridge. In his free time Parker plays the organ.