An organ scholarship at Christ's College can be a wonderful opportunity for organists who want to continue playing to a high standard and receive coaching and conducting training from experts. The commitment at Christ's is easily combined with non-musical study and also allows for involvement in many other University activities such as sport or theatre, and provides the opportunity to work with a choir of a high standard in a role of responsibility.
The current organ scholars are Davon Halim, Clare Pryor, and Lizzy Regan.
To get in touch with the organ scholars, please contact the choir administrator at choir.admin@christs.cam.ac.uk. The organ scholars can be available for weddings and other events and are happy to answer queries from potential applicants.
Davon Halim
Davon is a fourth-year mathematics student, and Organ Scholar at Christ's since 2021. While studying for A-levels at Concord College, he studied organ with Tony Pinel. He is now taught by Ann Elise Smoot.
In addition to regular duties in the Chapel, Davon accompanies and conducts the Choir in concerts both within England and on annual international tours, most recently in New Zealand.
As a soloist, Davon performs extensively in Cambridge, including recitals at the chapels of King's College, Queens' College and Trinity College. Other engagements also occur across England and internationally. Organists he has worked with include David Ponsford, Pieter Dirksen and Sietze de Vries.
Davon is also an active member of the Christ's College Music Society (CCMS). He has given a number of piano recitals and has arranged several performances of ensemble works, such as J.S. Bach's Magnificat and Brandenburg Concerto No. 5. He served as Treasurer in 2022–23.
Clare Pryor
Clare Pryor is a third-year PhD student in Classics. She began learning the organ in 2016 under the tutelage of Dr. Allan Beavis in her hometown of Bowral, Australia, and since commencing at Cambridge in 2022 has learned from Ann Elise Smoot. She has recently played organ recitals at Corpus Christi College and Trinity College, as well as at St. Jude's in Bowral, her former home church. When not doing her degree or playing the organ, Clare can generally be found spending time with friends or with a good book.
Lizzy began her organ studies with Roxanne Gull (herself a former Organ Scholar at Christ's) in 2018. She was encouraged to attend the Jennifer Bate Organ Academy and Oundle for Organists, enabling her to engage in masterclasses with Anne Paige, Anne Marsden Thomas, Ann Elise Smoot, Ronny Krippner, and David Briggs.
From 2021-2024, she served as an organ scholar at St Anne's Parish Church in Leicester, and gave organ recitals at Leicester Cathedral, Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford, and Temple Church in London. She has also won the Charles Blackham Cup for Organ Solo at Leicester MusicFest on two occasions.
Lizzy is a keen pianist, singer, and composer. Outside of music, she has interests in film, dance and gaming, and has represented Leicestershire in discus.