The Downing Arts Podcast

Downing College
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Downing Arts is the combination, collaboration, and contemplation of Drama, Music, the Visual Arts, and Literary activities across the college – bringing together students, Fellows, staff, and the wider community to participate, observe, and enjoy a richly stimulating cultural environment. Join me, Louisa Denby - Downing's Director of Music - for a weekly digest of Creative Arts events in college, plus exclusive interviews with students, staff, Fellows, and alumni. Episodes are released weekly during term time and feature a broad range of topics, from favourite films to brilliant books, from new artistic endeavours to established alumni careers, brought to you from Downing College in the University of Cambridge, UK. https://www.dow.cam.ac.uk/creative-arts

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  1. MT25.1 Freshers' Special

    EPISODE 1

    MT25.1 Freshers' Special

    Downing Freshers' Reps: Mercedes van Niekerk, Mia Lee, Edward Campbell, and Bwalya Kalusa. @downingfreshers2025 / @downingfreshersplay / @downingdramaticsociety_ Email: president@dds.dow.cam.ac.uk -=-=-=- Downing College Music Society: Ria Sood (President) & Lola Pesskin (Vice-president). @downingcollegemusicsociety / @downingjazzband Email: college.music@dow.cam.ac.uk -=-=-=- The Chapel Choir of Downing College @choirdowning www.dow.cam.ac.uk/about/chapel-downing-college/chapel-choir Email Matthew Chanwai, Organ Scholar: college.music@dow.cam.ac.uk -=-=-=- Cover image copyright Louisa Denby. -=-=-=- Tuesday 7 October, 6-6.45pm, Chapel: Undergraduate Freshers' Evensong Thursday 9 October, 6-6.45pm, Chapel: Postgraduate Freshers' Evensong 11 September - 19 October, Heong Gallery: Revealing (In)visible Times exhibition. www.dow.cam.ac.uk/creative-arts/heong-gallery/revealing-invisible-times

    24 min
  2. MT25.2 1816: The Year without a Summer

    EPISODE 2

    MT25.2 1816: The Year without a Summer

    Downing alumna Natasha Atkinson and fourth-year Trinity student Nat Riches chat about their show '1816: The Year Without a Summer', currently touring the UK. Cover image copyright Nat Riches and Natasha Atkinson. -=-=-=- Thursday 9 October, 6-6.45pm, Chapel: Welcome Evensong for Postgraduate Freshers. Sunday 12 October, 6pm, Chapel: Evensong sung by the Chapel Choir. Music by Thomas Tallis. Sunday 12 October, 8pm, JCR: DCMS jamming session with Downing College Jazz Band. 11 September - 19 October, Heong Gallery: Revealing (In)visible Times exhibition. www.dow.cam.ac.uk/creative-arts/heong-gallery/revealing-invisible-times -=-=-=- Wednesday 15 October - Saturday 18 October, Corpus Playroom: 1816: The Year Without a Summer. www.adctheatre.com/whats-on/musical/1816-the-year-without-a-summer/

    12 min
  3. MT25.3 Is the Master legally blonde?

    EPISODE 3

    MT25.3 Is the Master legally blonde?

    The Master Professor Graham Virgo discusses his favourite film. Cover image copyright Eva Rinaldi, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic licence. -=-=-=- Friday 17 October, 9-11pm, JCR: DCMS Open mic. Check out the Instagram page for details. @downingcollegemusicsociety Sunday 19 October, 6pm, Chapel: Evensong sung by the Chapel Choir. Music by Orlando Gibbons and John Stanley. 11 September - 19 October, Heong Gallery: Revealing (In)visible Times exhibition. www.dow.cam.ac.uk/creative-arts/heong-gallery/revealing-invisible-times -=-=-=- Wednesday 15 October - Saturday 18 October, Corpus Playroom: 1816: The Year Without a Summer. www.adctheatre.com/whats-on/musical/1816-the-year-without-a-summer/

    10 min
  4. MT25.4 Witness for the Prosecution

    EPISODE 4

    MT25.4 Witness for the Prosecution

    Continuing last week's law-related theme, masters student Tiffany Tivasuradej discusses Agatha Christie's play 'Witness for the Prosection'. Cover photo by TomasEE, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license. -=-=-=- Thursday 23 October, 9-9.30pm, Chapel: Choral Compline, followed by port and hot chocolate. Saturday 25 October, 5-5.30pm, Chapel: Informal performance of Vivaldi's 'Gloria'. Sunday 26 October, 6pm, Chapel: Evensong sung by the Chapel Choir. Music by Grayston Ives and Will Todd. Monday 27 October, 6-6.30pm, Music Office T staircase: Session for beginner singers. Email college.music@dow if you'd like to come along. Wednesday 29 October, 8-9pm, Master's Lodge: DCMS Recital.

    12 min
  5. MT25.5 A Gap in the Clouds

    EPISODE 5

    MT25.5 A Gap in the Clouds

    Downing's Creative Arts Co-ordinator Fran Rothwell-Hughes introduces the new Gallery Exhibition 'A Gap in the Clouds'. Cover photo: Edvard Munch, Melancholy, 1902. Woodcut, 38.2-38.5 x 45.5-49.5cm. Private collection, Norway. Photograph: Sidsel de Jong. -=-=-=- Thursday 30 October, 12.30-1pm, Gallery: Curator's Tour 'A Gap in the Clouds'. All welcome; booking not required. Sunday 2 November, 6pm, Chapel: Evensong for All Saints, sung by the Chapel Choir. Music by Stanford and Harris. Monday 3 November, 6-6.30pm, Music Office T staircase: Session for beginner singers. Email college.music@dow if you'd like to come along. Monday 3 November, 6-8pm, Gallery: Creative workshop with art therapist Honorata. Booking essential: email wellbeing-advisor@dow.cam.ac.uk. -=-=-=- Saturday 1 November, 5pm, Falcons Deli, AL9 5JD: 'Schubertiade' with Declan Hickey and Daniel Gilchrist. A 19th-century programme of songs by Chopin and Moniuszko. Tickets £5 available from irena@falconskitchens.com.

    16 min
  6. MT25.6 The Devil in the Details

    EPISODE 6

    MT25.6 The Devil in the Details

    Third-year Art Historian Apple Sershi reveals why the devil in art is so fascinating. Cover image: detail from Bartolomé Bermejo (1440-1500) 'St Michael Triumphs over the Devil', photo credit Sailko (1 March 2017), licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license. -=-=-=- Friday 7 November, 7pm, Paddock: Fireworks display. Free to Downing members and guests. Refreshments on sale. Friday 7 November, 9pm, JCR: 'Week Five Blues' by the Downing Jazz Band. Saturday 8 November, 7pm, Howard Theatre: DCMS presents 'Big Band Roulette'. Free tickets for Downing students: use code BINGEWATCH. (Space is limited so please only book if you actually intend to come.) Sunday 9 November, 10.55am, I-staircase War Memorial: Annual Remembrance Sunday Service, with laying of wreaths and singing from the Chapel Choir. Tuesday 11 November, 9pm, Chapel: Come-and-Sing Compline, all welcome. Wednesday 12 November, 8pm, E-staircase Music Room: Freshers' Recital. All welcome to come and listen. If you're a Fresher and you'd like to perform, please sign up here. -=-=-=- Wednesday 8 November, 7pm, St Cuthbert's, Clungunford, SY7 0PS: 'Strings, Still Lifes, and Scenery, a programme of glittering new works for violin(s) and guitar, performed by Downing alumnus Declan Hickey and friends.

    18 min
  7. MT25.7 The Mask of Agamemnon

    EPISODE 7

    MT25.7 The Mask of Agamemnon

    Visiting Scholar Demetrius Floudas enthuses about the Mask of Agamemnon, and we hear from one of the directors of this week's DDS show, 'An Evening with Chekhov.' Cover image: Xuan Che, 'Mask of Agamemnon', licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. -=-=-=- Thursday 13 November, 6pm, Emmanuel College Chapel: The Chapel Choir join forces with our friends across the road for a Choral Eucharist featuring Langlais' 'Messe Solennelle'. Thursday 13, Friday 14, and Saturday 15 November, 7.30pm, Howard Theatre: DDS present 'An Evening with Chekhov'. Tickets available here. Sunday 16 November, 5.30pm, Chapel: Former Organ Scholar Carl Jackson returns to give a short recital, which will be followed by a Choral Eucharist. Tickets available here. Monday 17 November, 5pm, Heong Gallery: Artist Talk with Jerusha West, whose work links with themes of the current Gallery exhibition. Email fl452 for more details. Monday 17 November, 6pm, Music Office, T staircase: Session for beginner singers. Email college.music@dow for more information. Archive Exhibition: Downing in the Second World War, Library: all welcome. 'A Gap in the Clouds' Exhibition in the Heong Gallery continues until Sunday 8 February 2026. Free entry, all welcome.

    19 min
  8. MT25.8 The Little Prince

    EPISODE 8

    MT25.8 The Little Prince

    PhD student Remi Poulard discusses his favourite book. Cover image: Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, public domain. -=-=-=- Thursday 20 November, 9pm, Chapel: Choral Compline, followed by port and hot chocolate. Sunday 23 November, 6pm, Chapel: Choral Evensong Monday 24 November, 7.30pm, Chapel: DCMS Organ Recital. Tuesday 25 November, 6-8pm, Heong Gallery: Life Drawing. Register via Eventbrite. Tuesday 25 November, 9pm, Chapel: Come & Sing Compline. Archive Exhibition: Downing in the Second World War, Library: all welcome. 'A Gap in the Clouds' Exhibition in the Heong Gallery continues until Sunday 8 February 2026. Free entry, all welcome. -=-=-=- Sunday 23 November, 1pm, St Andrew's, Leytonstone, E11 1JD: Downing alumnus Declan Hickey performs with Lizzie Knatt. More details available here.

    10 min
  9. MT25.9 In space no one can hear you scream

    EPISODE 9

    MT25.9 In space no one can hear you scream

    Purchasing & Stores Manager David Stroud tells the story of his first encounter with 'Alien'. Cover image by Jacob-the-fox-critic, licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-SA 3.0. -=-=-=- Thursday 27, Friday 28, and Saturday 29 November, 7.15pm, Howard Theatre: DDS Christmas Comedy Show. Tickets available here. Friday 28 November, 3-4pm, E-Staircase Music Room: Juggling Workshop with Guinness World Record-holder James Cozens. Tickets available here. Friday 28 November, 5pm, E-Staircase Music Room: Piano Recital by Tom Yang. Saturday 29 November, 9-11pm, JCR: Christmas Jazz with Downing Jazz Band. Sunday 30 November, 5-6pm, Heong Gallery: Q&A with James McDermott. Tickets available here. Sunday 30 November, 6pm, Chapel: Advent Carol Service. Queue early to avoid disappointment. Archive Exhibition: Downing in the Second World War, Library: all welcome. 'A Gap in the Clouds' Exhibition in the Heong Gallery continues until Sunday 8 February 2026. Free entry, all welcome. -=-=-=- Call for applications: DDS Freshers' Play Director & Producer. If you are interested in either of these roles, please email president@dds.dow.cam.ac.uk. Call for submissions: 'The Leaves'. Email leaves@dow.cam.ac.uk. Staff & Fellows' Carol Service, Monday 15 December: If you would like to sing in the scratch choir, or give a reading, please email college.music@dow.cam.ac.uk

    17 min
  10. MT25.10 Bridgemas Special

    EPISODE 10

    MT25.10 Bridgemas Special

    In this Bridgemas Special episode, we're joined by new band Cash Only, as well as Honorary Fellow and former Master of Music at Westminster Cathedral, Martin Baker. Cover image copyright Louisa Denby. -=-=-=- Archive Exhibition: Downing in the Second World War, Library: all welcome. 'A Gap in the Clouds' Exhibition in the Heong Gallery continues until Sunday 8 February 2026. Free entry, all welcome. -=-=-=- Call for submissions: 'The Leaves'. Email leaves@dow.cam.ac.uk. Staff & Fellows' Carol Service, Monday 15 December: If you would like to sing in the scratch choir, or give a reading, please email college.music@dow.cam.ac.uk. If you'd like to be interviewed for the Lent term series of the Arts Podcast, email artspodcast@dow.cam.ac.uk.

    28 min
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Downing Arts is the combination, collaboration, and contemplation of Drama, Music, the Visual Arts, and Literary activities across the college – bringing together students, Fellows, staff, and the wider community to participate, observe, and enjoy a richly stimulating cultural environment. Join me, Louisa Denby - Downing's Director of Music - for a weekly digest of Creative Arts events in college, plus exclusive interviews with students, staff, Fellows, and alumni. Episodes are released weekly during term time and feature a broad range of topics, from favourite films to brilliant books, from new artistic endeavours to established alumni careers, brought to you from Downing College in the University of Cambridge, UK. https://www.dow.cam.ac.uk/creative-arts

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