Discover John Taverner

A Study Afternoon

Part of the Christ Church: Five Centuries of Music - 2025 Festival

Add to my Calendar 22-11-2025 13:30 22-11-2025 15:30 36 Discover John Taverner Christ Church has been a home to musical excellence since its foundation. One of its earliest employees was John Taverner, appointed in 1526 as the first Informator choristarum (instructor of the choristers). He quickly established himself as a composer of national significance, and his music survived the strictures of the Reformation to be copied even a century after its composition. More recently, Taverner and his music inspired Peter Maxwell Davies in the composition of orchestral pieces and an opera. Find out about John Taverner: a panel of distinguished scholars give illustrated talks to introduce and discuss his life, his work, his legacy. Registration includes refreshments (not lunch).   Programme: 13:30: Registration and exhibition viewing14:00: Welcome14.15: Session OneMagnus Williamson (Newcastle University) – Taverner of BostonKerry McCarthy (Independent Scholar) – Taverner, Wolsey, and the art of musical patronageAndrew Hope (Independent Scholar) – Taverner and the Oxford ‘Lutherans’ in the 1520sDavid Skinner (Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge) – John Taverner and the Sounds of Reformation Lay clerks of Christ Church Cathedral Choir directed by Peter Holder, selected works by John Taverner. 16:00: Break16:30: Session TwoDavid Maw (Christ Church, Oxford) – ‘not unlike a confused singing of birds’: Taverner’s instrumental legacyNicholas Jones (Cardiff University) – Maxwell-Davies and Taverner Questions and answers with panel discussion. Christ Church Upper Library, Oxford DD/MM/YYYY

Details


St Aldate's
Oxford
Oxfordshire
OX1 1DP
England


Tickets

Prices: £15 / £5 concessions / Free for students

Programme


Performers

– Conductor


Other concerts in this Series (+)

Programme Note

Christ Church has been a home to musical excellence since its foundation. One of its earliest employees was John Taverner, appointed in 1526 as the first Informator choristarum (instructor of the choristers). He quickly established himself as a composer of national significance, and his music survived the strictures of the Reformation to be copied even a century after its composition. More recently, Taverner and his music inspired Peter Maxwell Davies in the composition of orchestral pieces and an opera.

Find out about John Taverner: a panel of distinguished scholars give illustrated talks to introduce and discuss his life, his work, his legacy.

Registration includes refreshments (not lunch).

 

Programme:

13:30: Registration and exhibition viewing
14:00: Welcome
14.15: Session One
Magnus Williamson (Newcastle University) – Taverner of Boston
Kerry McCarthy (Independent Scholar) – Taverner, Wolsey, and the art of musical patronage
Andrew Hope (Independent Scholar) – Taverner and the Oxford ‘Lutherans’ in the 1520s
David Skinner (Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge) – John Taverner and the Sounds of Reformation

Lay clerks of Christ Church Cathedral Choir directed by Peter Holder, selected works by John Taverner.

16:00: Break
16:30: Session Two
David Maw (Christ Church, Oxford) – ‘not unlike a confused singing of birds’: Taverner’s instrumental legacy
Nicholas Jones (Cardiff University) – Maxwell-Davies and Taverner

Questions and answers with panel discussion.

Discover John Taverner poster

Get a route map

Your Map

If you have any questions, please contact us using the form below, or send an e-mail to [email protected].

All form fields are required.

Please check your details and try again.

Thank you for contacting us. We will contact you regarding your enquiry as soon as possible.