Free Lunchtime Music Recital

St Peter's College is running its weekly lunchtime recital series this term, with the next one on Thursday 29 October from 1:15pm to 2pm in the College Chapel. It's a free series open to the public, and it runs every Thursday until 3 December, so if you can't make this one, there are plenty more to choose from across the term.

The recitals are put on by the St Peter's College Music Society, and they're designed to showcase the instrumental and vocal talent of students from across the college community. The programme changes every week, and the performances move between the Chapel and the Music Room. The college opened a new Music Room in 2026, described as a space where students can grow and excel, from rehearsals to performance.

For the Michaelmas term, the society has a themed line-up for each week. Week 1 was a second-year musicians concert, Week 2 focused on chamber music, and Week 3 was a Halloween concert. Week 4 is the Music Freshers' concert, followed by 'Week Five Blues' in Week 5. Week 6 features a third-year concert, Week 7 moves into pop, jazz and musical theatre, and Week 8 closes the term with a Christmas concert. It's a good way to see the different year groups take their turn, and the shift from classical chamber music to pop and jazz means the sound changes quite a bit from one Thursday to the next.

Beyond these recitals, the college has a long choral tradition led by the Choir of St Peter's College, one of the finest mixed-voice choirs in the University. It's made up of around 25 auditioned students under Director of Music Quintin Beer, who has overseen all the college's music since its foundation. The choir sings twice-weekly Choral Evensongs in the Chapel and regularly tours and records. Visitors are invited to consider making a gift to the college. The recitals run from 1:15pm to 2pm on Thursdays at St Peter's College Chapel, New Inn Hall Street, OX1 2DL, and they're free and open to the public.